Sinan Mansions creates literary buzz at book fair
Sinan Book Club, one of Shanghai's largest book clubs in the well-known Sinan Mansions cultural spot, made its first appearance at the Shanghai Book Fair on Wednesday, with exhibitions and international reading events.
The debut of the historical Sinan Mansions at the annual event, which will run through August 22 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center, aims to nurture a lively literary environment in Shanghai, according to organizers.
Known for its historical and architectural significance, representatives of the mansions said its book club would create a unique reading space at the exhibition center for local book enthusiasts.
In addition, under the theme "Reading brightens life," it would host events and interactive sessions for attendees to dive into a range of literary works and share their thoughts with fellow book lovers.
Starting in February 2014, the book club has invited authors, publishers and scholars from around the world to discuss their books with local readers at the mansions every Saturday.
Over the years, the club expanded its scope beyond writing and reading to cover philosophy, science, history and current events.
The book club has held 399 events with 1,500 guests from around the world, attracting around 70,000 readers.
During the book fair, the club will also host the 10th Shanghai International Literary Week, with 20 interactive sessions for readers to chat and share ideas with authors from both home and abroad.
The Sinan Time Zone gallery will also launch its "Art of Paper" exhibition, exploring what happens when different cultures meet in paper art and design.