书展——一场价值观的竞赛

The Book Fair as a Tournament of Values

本文考察了国际书展作为一种价值观的竞赛,在全球出版业中所扮演的角色,特别是它与出版流程、出版产业链以及出版领域的关系。文章首先概述了书展的主要功能,然后细述了人们在法兰克福书展和伦敦书展上的日常活动,并分两个层面对国际书展进行分析。第一个层面主要考察书展举办的时间与地点、参展商摊位的位置与规模、是否名列书展宣传册、成交情况、社交活动等有关受关注度的重要性问题。第二个层面从书展的结构框架、参与者资格和通货的角度,考察书展作为一种价值观的竞赛,或曰礼制上的竞赛。版权作为一种通货,等同于一种礼物交换形式,因此图书既有商品属性,也有礼品属性。图书这种商品便是在其隐藏的礼品属性下被创造、发行、售卖和阅读的。

This article examines the international book fair as a tournament of values and its role in the global publishing industry; in particular its relation to the publishing cycle, chain, and field. It outlines the main functions of fairs, before describing in detail the daily activities of participants at the Frankfurt and London Book Fairs. Analysis of international book fairs takes place at two levels. The first focuses on the importance of visibility in a fair＇s timing and location, as well as in the location and size of participants＇ stands, inclusion in the fair catalogue, business deals, and social gatherings. The second examines the book fair as a tournament of values, or ritual tournament, in terms of its framing, membership, and currency. The argument presented is that the currency of copyright has significant parallels with a form of gift exchange and that, as a result, a book is both commodity and gift. It is in the shadow of the gift that the commodity of the book is produced, distributed, s01d, and read.