The Argentina Independent would like to invite talented writers to submit short stories, excerpts and poems in English, for the second edition of our short story competition. The contest is open to all writers who want to share their unique voice with Argentina’s English speaking community. Deadline for submissions is Friday 5th October.

We will announce the five finalists on 10th October, and readers will be invited vote to decide the winner, who will have their piece published on our homepage. All five finalists will have the chance to read their pieces at the BA Books Lover’s Night on Friday 26th October (details to follow shortly).

Contest Guidelines

1. All entries must be less than 1000 words. There is no minimum word count.

2. All entries must be submitted by Friday 5th October at midnight.

3. Please submit a Word or Text document, size 12 pt. font. Include your name, a title, and word count. Please proofread thoroughly.

4. Participation is limited to one submission per person.

5. The writing entered and all rights to it must be your own. In submitting your entry, you agree to The Argentina Independent’s non-exclusive use of your writing on our website, newsletter, and associated printed press. You maintain full copyright for your entry and, where used by The Argentina Independent, the writing will be will be credited to you as the author, with a link to your website or blog where applicable.

6. The winning entry will be published in our November edition and online.

SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS TO: competitions@argentinaindependent.com

Please title your email Writing Contest: [Your Name].

Lead image by Jeffrey James Pacres

Each year the Buenos Aires book fair is staged within the grand setting of La Rural where the three week event hosts a wide range of discussions, readings and book signings. Complete with a central courtyard full of horses being groomed, the space is transformed into a maze of publishing houses who set up shop for the 1.2 million book lovers who frequent the annual fair. The autumn event is aimed at readers as opposed to publishers, offering up an incredible variety of books that is unparalleled by bookstores in the city.

Following the tag-line “A city open to a world of books” the fair is subdivided into both countries around the globe and smaller Argentine regions providing a structure of press houses from these locations. The stalls are also at times topic or language specific: a stand dedicated to Buddhism, another for books in Arabic, and a large site dedicated to books available in English.

Attracting masses of bookworms each year, the stalls are visited by patrons who peruse the voluminous stands at their leisure, flicking through books on topics from jazz music to sustainable architecture.

In a city awash with independent and second hand bookshops, the fair is unexpectedly commercial, meeting the demands of a nation where buying books on amazon is not an option. But the upside of it’s commercial nature means that for three weeks a vast array of books are accessible to all willing to pay the $15 entry fee.

The fair also puts on a whole host of events to encourage the customers to get involved: classes for children are run alongside the publishers stands; interactive showroom exhibits; and a radio show being recorded live to entice people to stand and watch. Several conference rooms are the set of the wide range of talks and readings scheduled over the weeks and the 37th literary fair has not disappointed. It has already witnessed a discussion about the language of the city and the Porteño dialect, an interview with pianist and composer Atilio Stampone, and a homage to the celebrated María Elena Walsh, who died earlier this year. All this and much more have accompanied the presentations of books and discussions with authors.

As the last days of the fair approach, it continues to promise literary treats such as the presentation of ‘The Ghosts of Petrova’ by V.I. Berra, Thursday being dedicated to Buenos Aires, and a discussion of the history of National Radio since 1937.

Liibook is a website founded by Federico Roma, a 30-year-old Argentine from Lomas de Zamora, in the south of Buenos Aires. Developed from an idea which originated while backpacking around the country, it provides writers with an online space to publish their work. Be this a 20-word poem or a 500-page novel, all are welcome. The author can select whether to allow the work to be viewed for free or whether the reader needs to pay. The majority of the material available on the website is available without having to pay, but longer pieces, which would normally be read as a book, come with a charge. All are available to be downloaded for iBooks, Kindles and other types of ebook readers.

Liibook is not run as a profit making business. It exists solely as a platform for writers to publish their works for free, while ensuring that if a reader decides to buy the work, 100% of the money goes to the author. This breaks the traditional form of book publishing because it cuts out all the middle men. A publishing company usually takes around half of the retail cost, while the retailer claims between 30% and 40%, thus leaving a meagre 10-20% for the author himself. The companies can charge these large amounts because they provide services such as manufacturing, marketing and distribution, all of which are important factors for an aspiring author to consider.

However, when publishing through Liibook, the game plan changes. There are no manufacturing costs, because the written work can be submitted electronically and read or bought electronically. This means that there is no paper, ink or printing machinery needed. Distribution costs are thrown out of the window as well, because Liibook provides its services for free. There are no transportation costs, nor any retail expenses. The environmental benefits of such a way of producing literature cannot be ignored.

Marketing is also provided by the company in a novel format. As can be seen on the website, advertising banners are placed, suggesting the visitor looks at another website, or buys another product. In line with Liibook’s ethos of not making money, in exchange for these advertisement placements, other websites provide links and searches which lead book hunters to Federico’s website. While not placing billboard posters on top of buildings, this is a modern way of marketing and has proved highly successful.

An important feature of the website is that authors can write what they like, how they like. The work is not edited. Federico points out that readers can complain if they have an issue with something, but any form of alteration to the work is done in collaboration with the author. The large amount of literature available on the website, coupled with the small number of people working on maintenance of the site, means that it is logistically impossible to read and edit everything that is published.

While for many authors this means that they will not be rejected by the publisher, as may be the case were they to approach a traditional publishing company, it also means that there is a wide range of quality in the literature available. Some outstanding novels are available, while some mundane and directionless writings sit right beside them. Of course, this is the case in any book shop or library and is the reason why people browse and experiment with new authors.

Editing is a crucial part of writing, as it provides an objective view, ideally coming from a professional editor who is trained in the skill. Any author would like to believe that what they write is perfect and that others would not be able to improve it, but this is not the case. Federico does not feel that he needs to take on the role of providing editing services to the writers, as this is a separate skill and an author can have the work edited before submitting it to the website. This is not so much of an issue for smaller pieces of work, but for writings of great length it is very important.

The debate over ebooks is polemic amongst the reading community. For many, the appeal of browsing through a book shop, picking out an untouched edition, (or an exceedingly over-touched, crumbling, 50-year-old book, as the case may be), settling down into an armchair, taking in a deep breath as the smell of the pages is released to the world and settling the eyes on the first word, cannot be replicated with an electronic screen. Ignoring all the problems with technology, the simple aesthetics of reading a book are too fundamental to be ditched, which as explained, is exactly what Liibook does. However, there is a newer generation of readers who are content to browse the endless online resources for books. The vast array of literature is available to all who have computer access.

It is not only the book purists who complain about the use of the word “book” to describe the literature which Federico makes available. He is currently engaged in legal tussles with both Facebook and Apple (creator of iBooks), who claim ownership of the word and are unhappy that it has been used in the title of the website. Understandably, Federico is frustrated with the behaviour of the two business giants, but he has successfully fought them off for longer than a year and believes that he will be able to proceed with Liibook as it is.

Liibook’s popularity is growing, with people submitting their written work from faraway countries, such as Spain and the US. While most people only publish their pieces in their native language, there are a number who also submit translations of other languages. For anybody who would like to share a piece of literature which they have written, however short it may be, Liibook provides this opportunity, for free, and to an ever increasing readership.

1. El Ateneo, Barrio Norte

If you’re tired of shopping and looking for a spoonful of culture, no bookworm’s tour of the city could be complete without a visit to the magnificent former theatre ‘El Teatro Gran Splendid’.

Step off the teaming pavements of Avenida Santa Fe and slip into the lofty grandeur of the fanciest book shop you’re ever likely to set foot in.

Cited by The Guardian as the second best bookshop in the world, it was originally opened in 1919.

Now bookshelves line the balconies and floor, where once the high society of Buenos Aires gathered to watch the likes of Carlos Gardel perform live on stage.

Venerable-looking gentlemen are settled in deep armchairs while tourists and porteños alike browse titles far below a domed ceiling, painted with cherubs and saints.

Having lost none of its glamour, the stage, flanked by deep burgundy curtains, is now home to a cafe. It is lively with friends drinking wine, earnest business meetings and gawping tourists while live tango music drifts overhead.

If you’re hungry you can order anything from tarragon chicken with pumpkin mash to a media luna, washed down with cafe cortado, champagne or whiskey depending on where the atmosphere takes you.

Should that be a little too conspicuous for you, tuck yourself away in one of the royal boxes, which are still lined with red velvet and gilded railings or on one of the many sofas.

And remember to close your mouth.

El Ateneo, Av. Santa Fe 1860, Monday-Friday 10am-7pm, Saturday 10am-5pm. Tel: 11 4813 6052

2. Eterna Cadencia Libros, Palermo Hollywood

Nudging shoulders with the chic restaurants, elegant window displays and the bustling bars of Palermo Hollywood, this libreria, with its dark wood panelling and low- slung gothic chandeliers is a tranquil place to spend an afternoon.

For those of you who want to break into Spanish language books gently, there is a rich selection of translated texts with everything from Alice in Wonderland to Sherlock Holmes.

Follow the spines back into the building past sections on politics, theatre and philosophy for books on cookery, Kandinsky, cinema and photography and a large cafe at the back.

The walls are papered with fly leaves and paintings while bizarre lanterns made of book pages are suspended from the ceiling.

Whether you settle down with a coffee and plate of galletitas or rest your book-browsing feet on the sofa, you will be left to your own devices unless you choose otherwise.

Eterna Cadencia, Honduras 5574. Open Monday-Friday 10am-9pm, weekends 11.30am-8pm. Tel 11 4774 4100

3. FEDRO, San Telmo

FEDRO is best represented by a formidable black cat called Morrissey who spends his days sprawled on the floor, listening to the beats of music and casting a lazy eye over the stacks of books in the shop.

With its streets packed with galleries, antique shops and one-off boutiques, San Telmo is not a barrio lacking in culture and yet this book shop, which celebrates its fifth birthday this November, manages to carve out its own niche.

Selling music at the back, books in every corner and art upstairs, FEDRO is light and airy with a split level mezzanine floor from which Morrissey holds court.

Hook out a book on anything from the history of South America to Marxist theory and plant yourself on one of the scrubbed wooden tables upstairs. The owners are incredibly helpful if you are looking for something in particular.

FEDRO, Carlos Calvo 578. Open Monday-Saturday 12-9pm. Tel: 11 4300 7551

4. Libros del Pasaje, Palermo Viejo

For a low-key haunt with good music and a relaxed vibe to idle away a few hours, check out this refuge for students and intellectuals near Plaza Serrano.

The area, thronged with chic boutiques, restaurants and craft shops attracts a lot of tourist foot traffic, but the clientele here are mostly porteño.

At the back of the shop, the cafe is abuzz with conversation, clattering plates and the strains of anything from jazz to soul, rock and roll to blues.

It has a bohemian feel with the music, art and well-stocked bar as well as an indoor smoking area. The clientele is colourful, ranging from study groups to dates, solitary readers to couples meeting for a Quilmes after work.

This is the sort of place that you could sit unattended for half an hour until someone notices you, which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on whether you find the speed of table service in Argentina refreshing or vein-poppingly infuriating.

Tall book cases line the walls, and nimble shop assistants scale long wooden ladders to rifle through volumes on the top shelves while customers potter about below.

Everything from Harry Potter to Marquez, science fiction to cinema is piled in wooden carts, which are parked along the length of the shop.

If you aren’t ready for Borges, there is a wide selection of English-language books available as incongruous as names like Tom Clancy and F. Scott-Fitzgerald might look when a couple next to you are having a flamboyant exchange in castellano.

Libros del Pasaje, Thames 1726. Open Monday-Thursday 10am–10pm, Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday 2-10pm. Tel: 11 4833 6637

5. La Libre, San Telmo

This cool new kid on the block has been around for five months and specialises in literature and art, with regular book launches and live music events in the evenings.

The shelves are stacked with poetry, philosophy, plays and plenty more. For those of you who spent too many pesos on empanadas and post cards, there is a crate of second-hand books from $5 standing by the door.

The shop works with a lot of independent publishers and alternative producers, so expect to find a colourful assortment of items on display.

With a selection of comfortable sofas and armchairs upstairs, and coffee available, this is a very pleasant place to spend a quiet afternoon.

Internet connections are available and wi-fi is in the pipeline.

La Libre, Bolívar 646. Open Monday-Sunday 12-9pm. Tel: 11 4343 5328

A survey recently published by Unicef stated that 9.2% of children in Argentina are born to an illiterate or severely undereducated mother. The findings, from their annual study ‘The State of the World’s Children’, seem shocking for a country which supposedly has the highest literacy rate in the continent.

However, although Argentina’s literacy rate is higher than its Latin American neighbours’, many of the figures fail to reflect the true range and depth of the problem. Figures are often heavily based on results in Buenos Aires, a city that prides itself on its academic heritage. The capital is home to some of the best universities and the biggest names in Latin American literature. Book shops populate the streets and indeed The Buenos Aires International Book Fair is the largest Spanish-speaking fair in the world, as well as one of the most important cultural and editorial events in Latin America.

But things are very different outside of the capital.

The areas of highest illiteracy are found among the indigenous communities. This part of the population is rarely fairly represented in surveys due to their isolation geographically as well as, rather ironically, culturally. Many of these communities retain their own indigenous languages and as such Guaraní and Toba. Though some of these indigenous languages are dying out, perhaps also as a result of illiteracy. Without the ability to read and write a language it is difficult to preserve it.

It is no coincidence that Bolivia, the South American country with the highest illiteracy rate, is also the South American country with the highest indigenous population (70%). Similarly the illiteracy rate in Northeast Argentina, where there are many indigenous communities, is twice the average for the rest of Argentina.

There is a lot of stigma attached to the problem. Many are afraid to admit that they are illiterate. It is likely that they have been cheated precisely because they do not know how to read or write – perhaps because they have admitted to having problems or also because they haven’t and as result have blindly signed away their rights. Therefore it is hard to go by what the statistics say.

Furthermore, the term ‘illiterate’ has wide interpretations. Many people can be classed as functionally illiterate: they technically know how to read and write. They are able to write their own name and read numbers and thus pass themselves as ‘literate’ though in reality are unable to perform other basic tasks using language.

A Cuban literacy project ‘Yo sí puedo!’ identified this key issue and established a teaching method whereby students learn to read by creating an association between letters and numbers. The project realised that even illiterate people work with numbers every day, for example, selling or buying products in the market. Thus, the classes develop from the familiar (numbers) to the unfamiliar (letters).

The ‘Yo sí puedo!’ scheme has been hugely successful, with Cuba now boasting a 98% literacy rate, one of the highest in the world. The project has since been adopted by a number of Latin American countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Venezuela and Mexico.

In Argentina the scheme is implemented by a group of regional organisations that together are called UMMEP – the acronym in Spanish for ‘A better world is possible’. The project was borne out of their work in the grassroots organisations, where they noticed illiteracy problems in indigenous communities, or in very poor areas of greater Buenos Aires. Now the programme is being applied in 12 provinces by volunteer workers for more than 2,100 people in each.

The UNMEP organisers note that the problem is not just one of illiteracy, but one of injustice that affects of all of society. They believe that reading and writing is much more than a question of literacy or illiteracy, black or white; it is being able to express what you think, what you feel. “It is about truly participating and solving problems of everyday life without having to depend on someone to read your prescription or accompany you to fill out an application, or constantly worrying because you’re not sure what you’re signing with your thumbprint; it is a qualitative leap into life, and thus into society,” they say.

This message is echoed by other literacy organisations whose larger aim is to give people confidence and independence. The mission of Fundación Leer, an Argentine programme that promotes the importance of reading, is ‘to generate a positive and lasting impact in one’s personal development to enable a full immersion in to society’.

While much has been done to promote child literacy in Argentina, as it has across the world, only recently have organisations begun to highlight the importance of adult literacy. Aside from the direct benefits of educating the older population, for many it is the key to improving children’s education. When a parent cannot read or write the chances of their child being able to read and write are reduced. Similarly, in a family where the parents have received only primary education before starting work, the cycle is likely to repeat itself with the children.

A recent study led by UBA’s Department of Education has highlighted the state of teenage and adult education beyond school. Their findings concentrate on the results of the two censuses is 1991 and 2001, between which there have been no significant changes in the level of ‘educational poverty’ or, as they have described it, the level of ‘education at risk’ – which signifies the risk people face of becoming marginalised from life – social, political, and economic – as a result of poor education or illiteracy.

The analysis deals with the Argentine population aged 15 or over that went to school once but who no longer go. Within this demographic, more than 14m people in Argentina are considered to be below the level of ‘risk’ – a number that has hardly changed in the decade between the two censuses (and very little since the one in 1981 too). Dr María Teresa Sirvent, who led the investigation, describes the group as illiterates, not in the purest meaning (that makes up a minor percent of the population), but in a wider sense.

She explains that to be literate is to acquire all the basic instruments of reading and writing – the elements necessary to be able to direct yourself in the real world. According to their study, 93% of poor youths are not armed with the necessary knowledge to fight for a future of better wellbeing. There is a situation where a large number of the population has been ‘left half way down the path of education’, thus leading to difficulties in the real world.

Fidel Castro, in a speech about education, pointed out that someone who has only the most basic ability to read and write will not be able to fully understand economic notions and as such is unable to completely control their finances.

The UBA study highlights the deficiency of the education system and in particular the disintegration of the education of adults. The worst educated groups are 15-19 year olds and 60-64 year olds, which presents a double priority: the education of the new generation whilst enriching the older generation.

However, getting adults to go back to school proves challenging. The fear and shame many feel is difficult to overcome and in the past there has been little in the way of support but things have begun to change. UARTE’s Rural Literacy Programme has been targeting the older population with considerable success. One particular member, Francisca, 82, from Jujuy, described the experience as a blindfold falling from her eyes, and went on to say that there is no greater poverty than not knowing how to read and write.

This is certainly true if Unicef’s survey is anything to go by. María Carmen Morasso, a Unicef Health Official, explained that the mother’s education can even affect the risk of infant mortality. The study shows that the regions with the lowest education levels are also those with the highest infant mortality rate.

This fact is particularly alarming when considered alongside UBA’s research that shows some regions’ education levels have worsened. Although recent years have seen the establishment of educational initiatives as well as increased vigilance surrounding the issue, such as the UN’s Literacy Decade 2003-12, only time will tell if these programmes have produced any lasting results.