LeaLA Triples Space and Grows Activities for the Entire Family

LOS ANGELES, April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Seeking to fill the need for access to Spanish language books as well as quality cultural events and activities for all ages, the second edition of LeaLA, the Spanish Book Fair of Los Angeles returns on May 11-13, 2012, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, South Hall K.  Admission is free and open to everyone.

At a press conference at Los Angeles City Hall today the organizing committee expressed its commitment to presenting an event that will supersede the 2011 success of the first Spanish Book Fair of Los Angeles.

"We will continue to break many of the stereotypes about Latinos. Last year's great response that brought 36,000 visitors to LeaLA, gives us the certainty that in 2012 we will once again demonstrate the need for books in Spanish and that Latinos do read," says Marisol Schulz Manaut, LeaLA Director.  "Latinos love to read and we are delighted to bring an event all about books, renown authors and activities for the entire family."

The extensive program of activities for the second edition of this cultural event were announced during the press conference hosted by Schulz along with members from the University of Guadalajara Foundation and the University of Guadalajara in the U.S.

This year the book fair will be three times larger encompassing exhibit space for book sales, author talks and book signings, discussion forums, plenary sessions, poetry recitals, and an area for children with interactive workshops and storybook readings by celebrities. There will be more than 130 authors and 180 publishing houses from all of Latin America with 200 stands (instead of the 80 that comprised year one).

In this second year, LeaLA will host the City of Guadalajara as the guest of honor and alongside the literary and cultural activities during the three days, the book fair will also concurrently present an Academic Program including presentations and meetings of specialists in various disciplines who will host plenary discussion sessions, including among others: the International Relations Encounter; the City and Metropolis Encounter; a Binational Jurists Encounter and an International Rectors Encounter.

The literary program will include authors of international renown such as Sergio Ramirez, ex vice president of Nicaragua and one of the great writers of his country and Latin America; Paco Ignacio Taibo, who will present his most recent novel  "El Alamo"; Francisco Martin Moreno, one of the best-selling authors of Mexico, who has dedicated his writing to historic novels and essays that reveal the true face of the history of Mexico.  Also presenting will be Enrique Krauze, historian, essayist, and Mexican author, director of the cultural magazine, "Letras Libres"; James Ellroy, author emblematic of police fiction, born in Los Angeles, whose novel L.A. Confidential has circled the world; the poet Ernesto Cardenal, notable for his civic and political activism in his native Nicaragua and who is one of the favorite Spanish language poets; Gerardo Pina-Rosales, Director of the North American Academy of Language who will present "Ortografía basica del espanol", (Basic Spanish Grammar),  a book of the Royal Academy of Language and Planeta Publishing; the popular Colombian poet Juan Manuel Roca; Pilar del Rio, journalist from Spain who was the wife and translator of the deceased Nobel Laureate in Literature, Jose Saramago, who will present the posthumous novel by Jose Saramago: "Claraboya".  Two greats that will also be at LeaLA are the Mexican poet and social activist Javier Sicilia, named man of the year by Times Magazine, due to the march for peace that he led last year as a result of the assassination of his son, and the writer from Spain, Carlos Luis Zafon, author of among others of the book "La sombra del viento".

The list of authors includes pop culture icons from television such as "El hijo del Santo"; the Mexican personality Gaby Vargas and the television host Yordi Rosado, all presenting their books.

And since LeaLA coincides with Mother's Day, moms will be part of a special program on Sunday the 13th where the winners of a letter-writing contest "Mi Idioma, Tu Herencia" (My Language, Your Heritage) will be treated to a celebration dedicated to them.  This letter-writing contest is for moms and grandmothers who want to share their feelings about the importance of Spanish and preserving their cultural heritage.  The deadline for entries is April 30. The 100 winning moms will receive two tickets to the special Mother's Day Breakfast where they will be celebrated with music, mariachis and surprises. For more information visit: www.lea-la.com.

The cultural and musical activities were key to the success in 2011 and this year will be no different.  Among the cultural activities will be two children's theatre presentations: "Un tutu muy apretado" (A Too Tight Tutu) and "Martina y los hombres pajaro" (Martina and the Bird Men), as well as music for kids with the very popular singers and writers Jose Luis Orozco and Margarita Robleda. The storybook readings for the children will include the participation of great authors such as Gabriela Olmos, Ignacio Padilla and Monica Brozon.

As part of LeaLA's expansive offerings three top concerts will be staged at the Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live, one every evening of the Book Fair. The concert line up is GLORIA TREVI on Thursday the 11th; LOS TIGRES DEL NORTE on Friday the 12th; and CALLE 13, ILLYA KURYAKI and LOS VALDERRAMA on Sunday the 13th. Tickets are now on sale.

The first edition of LeaLA attracted more than 36,000 visitors, over 141 publishing houses and 120 authors and academicians.  The visitors had access to 39 book presentations, 20 author talks, seven forums and encounters as well as a children's pavilion with 100 workshop sessions and literary and academic programs.  Schulz said of the first edition of LeaLA, "it is an overwhelming success," and it superseded all expectations.

LeaLA, the Spanish Book Fair of Los Angeles, is a cultural festival where the axis is the literary and publishing program.  It is a unique space where hundreds of authors from Latin American countries and U.S. Latino writers will come to share their works but it is also a space where they can discuss the important timely topics of the day.  A space where Latinos from all walks of life can rediscover their roots and culture. It is also a unique opportunity to feel proud of their language and share that pride with new generations. LeaLA is an initiative backed by the University of Guadalajara Foundation in the U.S., by different University of Guadalajara departments, and the most important book fair in the Spanish-speaking world, the International Book Fair of Guadalajara, Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara, known worldwide as FIL.  For more information on LeaLA visit: www.lea-la.com.

SOURCE LeaLA 2012