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Reading confidence

Competence and confidence in reading skills are closely related. The exact nature of the relationship remains a bit of a puzzle. Educational psychology stresses the importance of self-concept and self-efficacy for attitudes towards learning in general, but evidence on relationships related to the progress of reading competence over longer periods is scarce. The might be virtuous and vicious circles of competence and confidence at work. At the Frankfurt Book Fair 2026 many publishers presented established manuals on acquisition of reading skills. However, pre-school, primary school teachers as well as parents struggle to support early learners.
The “Lauter Verlag” presented a stimulating approach which tries to set children on a virtuous reading acquisition track. It start with very short 2, then 3, then 4 … letter words in German to reach the level to read whole sentences. Children build confidence with each step and they are encouraged to quickly reach a more challenging higher level. About time to test the interrelationship of competence and confidence in more detail to reach all learners of languages with innovative approaches. Even the much acclaimed French author Georges Perec kept lists of 3,4,5,6,7,8 letter words to build some of his famous poems.

Frankfurt Book Fair 2026 Lauter Verlag
Frankfurt Book Fair 2026 Lauter Verlag
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Oh happy days

The original English title of Samuel Beckett’s theatre play is “Happy Days”. In the French translation he changed this title himself to “Oh les beaux jours”, which sounds a bit more melancholic, which prepares better to the plot of the piece. There is no action in this piece, it is all words and not even real conversation between the 2 actors. The absurdity of our human existence despite ample references to famous literature across centuries is happily exposed. Let us continue to talk even if it doesn’t make sense anymore as we continue to repeat ourselves without any real changes in sight. How much of Winnie do we all have in ourselves? Indulging in souvenirs, rituals and abandoned trajectories of happiness is a danger of advanced age. Cathrine Frot and  Pierre Banderet are convincing in the roles to remind us to go beyond the absurdity of our ways to go about our lives. (Image: “Oh les beaux jours” at Theatre Les bouffes parisiens Paris 2026-10)

Theatre Les bouffes parisiens Paris 2026-10

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Game of letters

For most children reading and writing are too serious to be considered a game. And yet, learning is so much more fun if such competencies are acquired or at least accompanied through a game-like approach. School grades and PISA tests have taken out the fun part of learning of the most basic competencies. The fun in learning and experimenting is likely to increase the time spent learning, its efficiency and the return to learning. Georges Perec explored so many different ways to play around with words and letters to find his own most suitable style how letters assembled into words may serve his evolving purposes. The exhibition and accompanying material at the BNF on Georges Perec could spur a renewed interest in such games of letters and with letters for the young and old. (Image: BNF exhibition on Georges Perec, Words ending with letter d 2026-10).

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Alphabet as Mythos

The exhibition ”Georges Perec, Modes d’emploi“ at the BNF “site François Mitterrand” in Paris gives a fascinating insight into the complex life and work of the author of “La Disparition” (1968), “Les Revenantes” (1972), ”La Clôture”, “Alphabets” and “La vie mode d’emploi” (1978). In remembrance of his parents (eux) he wrote a whole book using only words without the first letter of “eux” which expressed how much he missed his parents. His mother was deported to and died in Auschwitz before he was 7 years old and his father had died in combat 3 years before. For the book “Les Revenentes“ (the returnees) he made use only of words containing the vowel “e” to somehow fill the previous gaps of words without the letter e. The preparatory work to collect those words (image below) filled pages as well. His poems explored combinations of letters, maybe even as a precursor of how AI is constructing words from small units (tokens) today. His quasi-experimental approach to literature goes deep into locations and emphasises the importance to remember at great length. So many lessons for us, which are simply built from the foundation of the alphabet to construct a mythical world of his own. (Image: Georges Perec, preparation for “Les Revenantes”, BNF Manuscript)

Georges-Perec-preparation-for-Les-Revenantes-BNF-Manuscript

Georges-Perec-preparation-for-Les-Revenantes-BNF-Manuscript
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Delors White Paper revisited

The former President of the European Commission Jacques Delors had prepared a white paper (1993) to guide economic reforms for the next few years from 1994 onwards. The report covered macroeconomic recommendations to spur growth, to improve competitiveness and create employment opportunities. The report achieved a balance between the 3 fields with an additional emphasis on sustainability. Based on the simulations of several macroeconomic models it became clear, that “… easing of the burden of statutory charges, which would be introduced as part of active employment policies, would have to be offset by tax measures so as not to swell budget deficits.” (p.157). A special emphasis was on job creation across all ages. Countries submitted comments and implementation plans which were published as an Annex also in multiple languages.
Recent discussions on the so-called 28th regime or a single simplified European Incorporation (EU-Inc) try to cut red tape in access to the European Single Market by creating a single company valid across the whole EU. However, it became quite clear that a separate and additional jurisdiction just for this EU-Inc would create additional administrative burdens of parallel courts and jurisdictions. Additionally, such an EU-Inc would open up ample possibilities of fraudulent evasion of taxes and social security contributions for businesses just created for this purpose from across the world. Sweden just had a hard time and succeeded in 2026 to dismantle a fraudulent network of Russian businesses set up in Sweden alone. Paris just picked a battle against fast fashion Chinese business SHEIN. Policing the EU-Inc across Europe would need thousands of additional persons and might disenchant many Europeans about the potentials of the European Single Market. (Image: Jacques Delors Centre Discussion of 28th Regime in Paris 2026-10-14)

Jacques Delors Centre Discussion of 28th Regime in Paris 2026-10-14
Jacques Delors Centre Discussion of 28th Regime in Paris 2026-10-14
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Mitterrand literary

François Mitterrand is well remembered for his polititical leadership and of 14 years at the Presidency of France. He left behind a legacy of architectural highlights of which the 4 open books as the modern world idea about a cathedral size public library. The prolongation of the “Axe historique” to “La Défense” originated also in Mitterrand’s first term in office. However, only few would know about the literary ambitions and accomplishments of François Mitterrand. The Institut François Mitterrand organized a conference on the literary achievements of Mitterrand an his eloquent style and careful editing of speeches, his letters and journal writing (2026-10-16). The expert panel highlighted the literary sources of Mitterrand’s own reading and references to authors like Zola, Camus, Proust, Stendhal, Blum, Jaurès, Chateaubriand or also the letters of Simone de Beauvoir, to name but a few. The appreciation of the politician François Mitterrand by a German language author (Kimmel 2022) allows to get more familiar with an “external view” of a great politician, who ensured that also the enlarged Europe would still have a solid French foundation. Merci. Maybe Mitterrand has been the founder of a “literary leadership style”. Possibly in close resemblance to the antique or Roman vision to have philosophers as states(wo)man.

Institut François Mitterrand colloque 2026-10-16 Paris BNF
Institut François Mitterrand colloque 2026-10-16 Paris BNF
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Imagery of animals

The imagery of animals by humans is most likely the oldest art tradition that have left traces to our time. The oldest images of animals can be admired in caves, on pottery or jewellery. Since the early days there have always been a blend of reality and mythology when representing animals and the animal world. Beyond hunting of animals, the biological interest in animals has fascinated many artists as well. Just as we are about to redefine the borders between human and artificial intelligence, the history of depiction of animals and humans is full of examples of blending characteristics of each or ascribing characteristics of one species onto another one. The “Galerie Mazarin” of the BNF in Paris (2026-27) shows a fine selection of art work across centuries which exemplifies this co-evolution of artistic representations and the creation of mythical narratives through the imagery of animals. (Image: Albrecht Dürer, BNF Rhinocerus 1515)

Albrecht Duerer 1515 Rhinocerus BNF 2026-10
Albrecht Dürer 1515 Rhinocerus BNF 2026-10
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Books for children

On the international level the book market of books for children is doing alright (Info Frankfurt book fair 2026). Whereas the turnover for school books is shrinking, children’s books have achieved increasing turnover in 2025 again. The market has diversified and merchandising related to books for children has substantially increased. Figures about this trend, however, are hard to come by. Based on TV-characters, books may also sell as a kind of merchandising product for the time offline. Talking about books is an educational opportunity which is still underexploited. Popular among children with their parents or as part of reading aloud, the real multiplier of reading interest is the talking about books among children themselves. Imagination is sparked and there is a great chance that reading will continue. 

Presentation at Frankfurt book fair Imagination stage 2026
Presentation at Frankfurt book fair Imagination stage 2026
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Book fair hope

The Frankfurt book fair attracted 236.000 visitors in 2026, similar to the previous year. There have been about 50% professionals and 50% general interest audiences. The busy times on the fair are marked by about 4000 exhibitors and 3800 events. Great efforts have been made to facilitate circulation on the fair to quickly move between country pavilions and events on stages across the whole area. In times of pervasive online content provision, the face-to-face meeting of authors and audiences as well professional book traders and related professionals remains an important event. With broad media coverage, the event remains a hallmark for any democratic society. Keep thinking big.

Frankfurt book fair 2026
Frankfurt book fair 2026
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Intergenerational peace

Law and courts serve the function of appeasement beyond the role of delivering judgements. Particularly in the realm of the International Court of Justice the dealing with crimes against humanity and their prosecution is hindered by lack of broad recognition and its force of implementation. Therefore, the international system of jurisdiction has to be explained over and over again to distance the practice of International criminal law and of justice implemented by who has won a war. Philippe Sands was awarded the peace prize of the German book trade association 2026-10. For some time already, he has become a major personality to explain and thereby defend the international criminal law by means of embedding international law into his fact-driven accounts of crimes against humanity. Since the Nuremberg trials to judge Nazi-terror, the task to continue to explain the horrors and atrocities in all emotions merits the broadest attention. The threats to humanity continue also in Europe and the voices of outspoken defenders of intergenerational peace on earth are dearly needed. (Image: extract of The last judgement by Jean Bellegambe 1520 Gemäldegalerie Berlin) 

extract of The last judgement by Jean Bellegambe 1520 Gemäldegalerie Berlin
extract of The last judgement by Jean Bellegambe 1520 Gemäldegalerie Berlin