Ideas Beyond Borders' Translated Books Featured at the Iraq International Book Fair 2021
Several books translated by Ideas Beyond Borders are being featured at the Iraq International Book Fair 2021 in Baghdad. The annual celebration of all things books & literature kicked off yesterday and runs through to the 18th of December.
The book fair, first held in 1978, provides a great opportunity for all involved to meet up and discuss the latest trends and progress in literature. It is also recognized as a useful way for writers to gain exposure and to communicate with their readers.
Iraqi publishers are also taking part in the event, with several stores selling books from both local and international authors.
The event is organized by the Iraqi Ministry of Culture and takes place at the Baghdad International Fairground. There are a plethora of activities to keep the visitors happy, including book launches, book signings, competitions, poetry readings, and much more.
The 2019 edition of this event posted a record attendance of over one million people and includes over five hundred stands from around the world.
After a slightly subdued event in 2020 owing to the pandemic, the 2021 edition is set to be the busiest ever. The first day of the 2021 fair opened to a positive start, the fairground was packed with visitors all keen to take part. The event celebrates the enlightened culture Ideas Beyond Borders strives for in the region.
The books featured in the Ideas Beyond Borders compendium include 'The Believing Brain' by Michael Shermer and 'Waking Up' by Sam Harris.
The Believing Brain uses neuroscience and the social sciences to explain how irrational beliefs are formed and reinforced. The book examines various cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias, that can lead people to believe in conspiracy theories or other false information. It also emphasizes the role of emotions in forming beliefs – specifically fear-based reactions like anxiety or sadness – which often cause a person's memory of events from their past life to be biased towards negative memories while ignoring positive ones.
Waking Up explores the scientific underpinnings of spirituality and the relationship between contemplative wisdom and modern science. The author Sam Harris offers unique insight from his position as a neuroscientist, philosopher, and famous skeptic.
Full Ideas Beyond Borders book list at the Iraq International Book
Michael Shermer - Heavens on Earth.
Michael Shermer - The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce.
Sam Harris - Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion.
Sam Harris - The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values
