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HONG KONG : Thousands of bookworms flocked to the opening of the annual Hong Kong Book Fair on Wednesday, the biggest event of its kind in the city.
The seven-day book fair, which has been running for almost two decades, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Organisers said they hope to break last year's record turnout of 760,000 people.
Veteran Singapore journalist Ching Cheong was among those browsing the shelves. Ching was recently released from prison on the Mainland after he was jailed on accusations of spying for Taiwan.
"When I was in the Chinese prison, I endured this atrocity of life by reading books," said Ching.
This year's fair also has a stronger focus on English-language books and activities, with a debut by the British Council to celebrate its 60th anniversary in Hong Kong.
There are books from a wide range of genre, and the fair is a paradise for those who love to curl up with a good book. However, the sheer size of the venue and the huge crowds can be intimidating for first-time visitors.
"Well, it's certainly big and quite overwhelming actually," said one visitor at the fair.
Political satire books were prominently on display, like in past years. Some of the books poked fun at Legislative Council hopeful Regina Ip, who was actually at the fair on Wednesday in a meet-and-greet session with fans to sign her memoir "Four Funerals and a Wedding".
Some publishers are taking a charitable approach, planning to donate their profits to rebuild schools in quake-devastated Sichuan Province. - CNA /ls
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