Shanghai Daily news

Bookworms can indulge themselves at the Shanghai Book Fair this weekend.

It's the first time the fair has been open to the public and all Chinese books are discounted by 20 percent. Most imported and foreign-language books will sell at normal prices but English readers should be able to find the latest imports in the 1,000-square-meter exhibition area. Sun Yu, director of the Shanghai Press and Publication Bureau, says it's hoped the fair, which ends on Monday, will be more like a reading festival. ``We are holding the fair in a central downtown location so that more people will come and talk about books as well as buy them,'' says Sun. It's estimated the fair will attract around 200,000 people. Young readers are also catered for with various cartoon and manga books. ``Stressful lifestyles have turned comics into antidepressants,'' explains Huang Jianzhang from the Shanghai People's Publishing House about the popularity of manga books. Almost 60 independent publishers and 130 large companies are participating the six-day event. A book-signing area and a coffee bar has also been set up. Several other events including a national book design contest are being held -- the winner will travel to Leipzig in Germany to participate in the International Book Design Exhibition. Date: through August 2, 9am-4pm Venue: Shanghai Exhibition Center, 1,000 Yan'an Rd M. Admission: 10 yuan Tel: 6279-0279 For more information visit www.eastday.com (in Chinese only) Book fair events Learning English from movies Date: July 30, 9am-noon English recitation contest Date: July 30, 1:30-4:30pm Book-signing of autobiography ``Splendid Journey'' by Chinese top model Mary Ma. All proceeds will be donated to China Red Cross for a stem cell bank in Shanghai. Date: July 31, 9:30-11:30am Cosplay Show Date: August 1, 1-2pm Painted models perform a skit from the ``The Da Vinci Code'' Date: August 1, 2-4pm Music performance Date: August 2, all day