There’s more than a whiff of fiddling-while-Rome-burns about the upcoming Zimbabwe International Book Fair, scheduled to kick off at the end of July. According to the rather lean-looking web page posted by Zimbabwe’s government-backed newspaper, The Herald, the theme of the fair will be “Transforming Lives Through Literature.” Among the various high-minded panel discussions taking place, there will be one “on issues to be considered in authorship with a difference and building the talent for tomorrow’s literature: proposed strategies from a young person’s view.”

I suppose one strategy for encouraging new Zimbabwe talent might be to ensure that budding authors “with a difference” receive, let’s say, at least 2,000 calories in food per day.

(Hat-tip to the Complete Review )