World Book Day 2014

Editor's note: April 23, 2014 marks the 19th World Book Day. In 1995 UNESCO designated this day to promote the appreciation of books all over the world. This special coverage reveals China's new trends in terms of reading habits, book design and publishing, and to explore the pleasure of "reading" China with you.


World Book Day is an important date for literature around the world. It was also on this date that the writers William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes died (both on the same day in 1616) and, somewhat later, the birth date of novelists including the Russian-born Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977) and the Icelandic Nobel Prize laureate Halldór Laxness (1902–1998).

	How I discovered the lure of Will power
	Love and Shakespeare The Bard in Beijing and beyond


	Reading is becoming a fashionable Contrary to the rumors, reading is not a dying pastime. If anything, more Chinese are settling down with a good book than ever before E-market challenge for paper Faced with the pressure from e-books, the publishing industry is undergoing a revolution in the way they produce paper books
	China Daily celebrates World Book Day 'Enjoy Reading, Enjoy Life' charity event launched in Beijing Beijing's first 24-hr bookstore turns first page Online book giveaways raise industry concerns Chinese adults read more books, fewer papers Storytelling goes across cultures Beijing Book Fair kicks off at Chaoyang Park

Chinese reading habits stir new debate

Marketers of e-books seek to develop the audience

Pulling the plug on e-books

Reading design's future in an era of e-books

Coming to a screen near you

E-book VS paperbook

Changing reading styles in E-world

The annual promotion of book designing has produced significant influence and impact in China's publishing and designing sectors, helping to improve the overall designing quality. more

With its booming economy, China has been attracting increased global interest, and people from all around the world are seeking to understand more about China through its literature. International publishers are beginning to seek out books that reflect contemporary China and give some insight into the world of young Chinese. They are also tracking down best-sellers in the Chinese market as a reference to see what might translate well to the West. Here is a quick look at some of the publishing highlights that have been on the bookshelves of the English-speaking world. more