Max Chauvet
Port-au-Prince, May 27, 2026.- The 32nd edition of Books in Madness will be held on Thursday, June 4, at the El Rancho Convention Centre in Pétion-Ville. Invited to the Magik Panel of Magik 9 on Wednesday 27 May, the Director General of the « The Newlist », Max Chauvet, announced an edition marked by record numbers: 126 authors in signature, 1,194 titles available and a strong presence of youth literature. Online sales will start on May 31 at www.livressenfolie.com with discounts of up to 50% for some bank cardholders.
Despite the insecurity and economic difficulties in the country, the organizers of Mad Book this year rely on a more ambitious edition. « This force to overcome all obstacles » Haitian authors were praised by Max Chauvet, who said he was surprised by the extent of the recorded participation for this 32nd edition.
Scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 a.m., this year the event leaves the premises of the Brothers of Christian Instruction to settle at the El Rancho Convention Centre, on the road to Bourdon, opposite the Meyo school. A choice motivated by the increasing abundance observed in previous editions.
« Space became too small « , explained Max Chauvet, stressing the need to better distribute activities and facilitate the circulation of the public.
In parallel with the present edition, online sales will be open from Sunday, May 31, Mother's Day, until June 7. Readers will be able to purchase their books from the Newlist site with a 40% discount, plus an additional 10% discount for Unicard card users.
The entrance ticket, fixed at 1,000 gourdes, will be entitled to a purchase coupon of the same value and to three drinks offered by the soft drink The Crown.
The organizers also announce an important logistical arrangement for buyers in the province. Orders can be recovered from 14 Unibank branches, including Cap-Haitien, Jacmel, Les Cayes, Jérémie, Léogâne, Miragoâne and Port-de-Paix.
This edition will also focus on youth. Nearly 25 per cent of the books proposed are in youth literature, or about 300 titles. Max Chauvet says he wants to encourage young readers, but also young authors, many of whom are under the age of 25.
The 102-year-old writer René Depestre is the guest of honour of this edition. Although he was unable to travel, about nine of his works would be available, some of which were reissued locally by the National Press.
Questioned about publishing houses, Max Chauvet also mentioned the difficulties of the book sector in Haiti. According to him, many authors themselves finance their publications, covering the costs of correction, printing and distribution, often with impressions made in the Dominican Republic due to lack of suitable local infrastructure.
For the director of the Newlist, this ability of Haitian writers to continue to produce and share their ideas in such a difficult context remains « Special « .
W.A.
