Argentina's 'Blind Date with a Book': Kraft Paper Wrapped Books Bring Readers Closer

BUENOS AIRES (CNA) — As smartphones and streaming distract from traditional reading, the 50th Buenos Aires International Book Fair has found a creative way to stop passersby: 'Blind Date with a Book.' By hiding covers under plain kraft paper and offering only brief handwritten clues, the initiative is successfully re-engaging readers. Under the shadow of inflation and consumer belt-tightening, publishers face immense pressure. Santiago Carnero, a second-generation owner of the 40-year-old independent bookstore Mundo Lectura, thought of the idea to spark curiosity. 'A book is written to be read, not just sold,' he says. The concept, which moved from the shop to the international fair three years ago, has now expanded to a full booth. Readers like Franco enjoy the uncertainty, trying genres they wouldn't usually pick. Across the fair, an exhibit on the late Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges also explores the meaning of reading through a maze-like design, reinforcing the idea that reading is a way to understand others' lives and 'exit the maze' of the world.