<span>With the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair up and running, book-lovers and culture vultures should revel in </span><span>the </span><span>activities and the </span><span>hundreds of thousands of books on sale at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. </span> <span>This is what makes book fairs stand out from literary festivals. Wh</span><span>ile the latter is more concerned with exclusive discussions, a book fair is a more unwieldy </span><span>event. It is basically one big party </span><span>that everyone is invited to: authors </span><span>shed light on the meaning behind their works</span><span>; </span><span>publishers have business meetings </span><span>in the corners of rooms as they attempt to nail down translation rights</span><span>; librarians </span><span>attend conferences where they hear the latest technological developments on cataloguing</span><span>; and illustrators and artists thrill the public by creat</span><span>ing work on the spot.</span> <span>With so much to take in</span><span> </span><span>before the fair ends on Tuesday</span><span>, here are my five top tips on how to make the most of it.</span> <span>The space is huge</span><span>, with the fair taking over </span><span>about a dozen halls in Adnec, so it's best to arrive with a minimum of two hours up your sleeve so you don't miss a thing. </span><span>You should be able to</span><span> savour the literary atmosphere and walk </span><span>past the various stands hosting publishing houses from across the world. Many of these companies </span><span>have come to the capital with special offers </span><span>and may even give free copies of certain</span><span> titles.</span> <span>This is not so much a safety warning </span><span>as a tip for star spotting. The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair doesn't </span><span>have a green room where authors can chill after they</span><span> have finished their sessions or events. For the most part, they </span><span>have to leave the venue to get any privacy. This means you may </span><span>see people such as best-selling </span><span>Nigerian </span><span>novelist and poet Ben Okri</span><span>, </span><span>or Leban</span><span>on's Hoda Barakat, </span><span>who this week won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction</span><span>, wandering around the halls. This is a great chance to grab an autograph and a selfie.</span> <span>This is the intellectual heart of the book fair. The beautifully decorated lounge, located </span><span>beside the main stage, is designed </span><span>to resemble a literary salon. It has its own programme of speakers and </span><span>is a great chance to hear authors discuss their work </span><span>away from the large crowds. </span><span>They also offer free, delicious servings of various blends of karak</span><span>.</span> <span>Not every bookstall is the same. While the more high-profile companies </span><span>use card machines, many of the smaller vendors (who arguably have the more interesting books) only accept cash</span><span>. Fortunately, ADNEC has </span><span>several ATMs available in various sections of the book fair.</span> <span>This could be your chance to grab a bargain. </span><span>Eager to sell </span><span>excess stock</span><span>, some vendors </span><span>could slash the prices by up to 50 per cent. This rule </span><span>applies </span><span>to the smaller publishing houses, especially. Try to </span><span>barter a better deal, such as </span><span>buy-one-get-one-free</span><span>. When it comes to the popular </span><span>English bookstalls, you will probably find the shelves an absolute mess because of the frenzied sales. Be patient,</span><span> dig deeper, and you may well </span><span>be rewarded with a top title or two to pop on your bookshelf.</span> <span><em>The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair runs until </em></span><span><em>Tuesday at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. More information is at <a href="http://www.adbookfair.com">www.adbookfair.com</a></em></span>