From a Hostile Era to a Present of Transformations: Dialogue on 50 Years of Readings and Writings in Argentina Begins at the Book Fair

At the Buenos Aires International Book Fair, a significant dialogue, "50 Years of Readings and Writings in Argentina," has commenced, marking a dual commemoration: the fair's golden anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the 1976 coup d'état.

This event, coordinated by Verónica Abadal, brings together a constellation of Argentina's literary stars, including Santiago Kovadloff, María Negroni, Clara Obligado, and Juan Sasturain, among others. Their participation underscores the deep connection between literary creation and the nation's tumultuous history.

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La mesa de hoy nos invita a hablar de nuestras historias de lectura en una época hostil.

The "coral conversation" delves into the complex journey of books in Argentina – how they were consumed, produced, contested, and even suppressed. From the dark years of the dictatorship to the present day, writers will share insights into the clandestine circulation of forbidden titles, the ingenious strategies employed to circumvent censorship, the transformations of the 1990s, and the contemporary challenges facing literary production amidst crises in the book industry, culture, and attention spans.

María Rosa Lojo's reflections offer a poignant glimpse into this past. She recalls safeguarding banned books in the early 1970s, such as works by Sartre and Frantz Fanon, alongside revisionist Argentine history. Paradoxically, it was within the UBA's literature institute library that she discovered Argentine women writers like Sara Gallardo and Angélica Gorodischer, whose works were absent from official curricula. This personal journey highlights how, even in repressive times, "Where danger grows, also grows that which saves," a quote from Hölderlin, finding solace and inspiration in the very act of reading and discovering hidden literary worlds.

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Donde crece el peligro, crece también la salvación