Nazmiye Bagci Caylioglu, a retired primary school teacher, signs her book for a student at a book fair in Istanbul, Turkey, May 9, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)
The Macka Book Days in Istanbul is a good place for booklovers on a tight budget, where new books and used ones in various genres are put on sale, and people can also resell their secondhand books for some pocket money.
ISTANBUL, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Nezahat Yeniceri, a retired primary school teacher and an author on child development, has rented a kiosk at a book fair in Turkey's Istanbul to directly interact with young people, listen to their problems, and introduce her new titles.
"My books are written as guidelines for parents of teens who are stuck between being an adult and a child," Yeniceri told Xinhua at a 10-day open-air fair recently launched in a park in Besiktas, a central district on the European side of the city.
Some buyers hope her books would help their parents understand how to treat a teenager, she added, noting that almost all of her books are sold at discounted prices.
A girl (Top) holds a book at Kocaeli book fair, Turkey, on May 4, 2018. A total of 20,000 books appeared on trees across Turkey's northwestern city of Kocaeli on Friday as part of a book fair there. (Xinhua/Kocaeli Municipality)
The Macka Book Days named after the neighborhood runs until Sunday, allowing local citizens, especially the young people on a tight budget, to own books at affordable prices.
New books and used ones in various genres were put on sale at the fair, including comics, science fiction, and classics. Some banners read "cash offered for secondhand books," encouraging people to resell their books for some pocket money.
While book lovers can buy a book for 8 Turkish liras (about 0.52 U.S. dollars), two for 15, and three for 20 at some kiosks, the price of two secondhand books can be as low as 10 liras at the fair.
Nezahat Yeniceri, a retired primary school teacher and author of some child development books, speaks to visitors at a book fair in Istanbul ,Turkey, May 9, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)
"Sometimes we encounter young people who covet a look but could not afford it. In such cases, we give them the book as a gift. It's not all about money after all," Yeniceri said.
Nazmiye Bagci Caylioglu, who shares the kiosk with Yeniceri, is also a retired primary school teacher and a veteran writer.
"Economic troubles, of course, hit households. Families are large, children are studying, costs have increased, kitchen expenses have expanded, but booklovers always try to budget for the books," Caylioglu told Xinhua.
Caylioglu had worked as a teacher for mentally handicapped children for the last ten years of her long career in education.
"Sometimes schools organize fair visits. I see that some students can buy the book they want, some cannot ... I tell those who can't afford it that their parents pay in advance for their book. I give the book to them as a gift, so their feelings don't get hurt," she said.
Sema Saglar, a resident of the neighborhood, had Yeniceri sign a book for her daughter.
"The fair is great. I am very glad that they organized a book fair ... It's been especially a great opportunity for students," she told Xinhua.
Saglar is pleased to see some books selling at half price. She pays at least 30 to 40 liras for a book in bookstores, but here she can find the same book for 10 to 15 liras.
Turkey's publishing has been hit hard by the depreciation of the lira as the industry heavily relies on imported inputs for printing and publishing.
The Turkish currency has lost almost 60 percent of its value against the greenback since 2021.
Since the beginning of this year, paper prices have climbed at least 60 to 70 percent, and publishers are struggling to print books. ■
