Bulgarian literature in the spotlight at Bookfest 2026
14 writers invited to Bucharest
Bulgaria, guest of honor at the Bookfest 2026 International Book Fair, comes to Bucharest with an impressive delegation of 14 writers, poets and children's authors, representing some of the most important voices of contemporary Bulgarian literature. The public will be able to meet them both at the events organized at Romexpo, as well as at a series of dialogues, launches and readings that will take place in bookstores and other cultural spaces in the city.
Certainly, one of the most anticipated presences at Bookfest 2026 is Gheorghi Gospodinov, considered one of the most important contemporary European authors. Fans of the beloved Bulgarian writer have the opportunity to meet him both at Bookfest and at an event that will take place outside the book fair. Thus, on Wednesday, June 3, from 6:00 PM, Gheorghi Gospodinov will enter into a dialogue with Mircea Cărtărescu at the ARENA Stage within Bookfest, the host of the event being cultural journalist Mirela Nagaț. The next day, June 4, at 7:00 p.m., the Humanitas Bookstore in Cișmigiu will host the launch of the latest Romanian translation of Gheorghi Gospodinov's work: the novel The Gardener and Death (translation by Mariana Mangiulea Jatop, Anansi. World Fiction, 2026).
Ioanna Elmy, considered one of the strongest and most promising voices of contemporary Bulgarian literature, a writer who currently divides her life between Sofia and the United States of America, will also come to Bookfest 2026. All those who loved the novel Born of Guilt (translation by Mariana Mangiulea Jatop, Polirom, 2025) can Meet at the Agora Stage at Romexpo on Saturday, June 6, at 12:00.
Also, Elena Alexieva, one of the most formidable and award-winning figures of contemporary Bulgarian literature, internationally recognized for the surgical way in which she combines psychological fiction, dramaturgy and social analysis, will also launch her first translation into Romanian at Bookfest 2026: the novel Vulcan, considered one of the most important novels of contemporary Bulgarian literature (translation by Mariana Mangiulea Jatop, Anansi. World Fiction, 2026).
Another new name in Bulgarian literature that has recently entered the Romanian book market is Kostadin Kostadinov, translated by Eikon Publishing House with the novel The Butterfly Hunter from Ada Kaleh (translated by Mariana Mangiulea Jatop, 2026). Through his nuanced writing, Kostadin Kostadinov delves deeply into human psychology, transforming marginal destinies and rural Balkan scenes into powerful narratives about survival and identity.
Petia Kokudeva, one of the most beloved and award-winning voices of contemporary Bulgarian children's literature, journalist, tireless traveler and a true explorer of pure imagination, will launch her first book in the Lupo si Tumba series, published in translation by Arthur Publishing House (translated by Lora Nenkovska), at the Bookfest 2026 International Book Fair. She will be present at Bookfest on June 5, both for a meeting with the youngest readers and for a dialogue on professional topics alongside the writers from the De Basm Association.
Four essential voices of contemporary Bulgarian poetry will also be coming to Bookfest 2026, each bringing an exceptional cultural journey to Bucharest: Nadejda Radulova, a refined voice of female lyricism, renowned as a translator and editor, who subtly explores the body, intimacy and personal mythologies; Gheorghi Gavrilov, one of the most dynamic and award-winning poets of the new wave, whose visceral and cerebral writing captures the tension of urban everyday life; Iordan Eftimov, literary critic, academic and experimental poet, central figure of Bulgarian postmodernism, known for his subtle irony and conceptual rigor; and Ivan Hristov, poet and ethnomusicologist, master of inner rhythms that combine Balkan archetypes with textual modernity. All of them, translated by the Max Blecher Publishing House, can be found both at Bookfest and at events organized in the city on Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6.
Petar Chuhov and Maria Ghetova, two well-known poets representing different generations of contemporary Bulgarian literature, are also coming to Bookfest 2026. Their creations have been partially translated and promoted in Romania in the pages of specialized publications. You can meet them during the weekends of the Bookfest Book Fair.
The list of Bulgarian guests who will arrive at this year's edition of the Bookfest International Book Fair also includes Emil Andreev and Ivan Stankov, two of the most appreciated and awarded contemporary Bulgarian authors, whose landmark works have been translated into Romanian and published by the prestigious Humanitas Publishing House. Readers can meet the two writers, who masterfully reconstruct the Balkan spirit, on Friday, June 5, during two events organized at the Bulgarian stand, alongside Romanian writers Andreea Răsuceanu and Cezar Paul-Bădescu.
Todor P. Todorov, the Bulgarian writer nominated for the European Union Prize for Literature in 2024, will meet in a dialogue at Bookfest 2026 with the Romanian writer Bogdan Crețu, nominated for the same prize in 2025. The event, which brings together two of the strongest voices of contemporary Eastern European prose, will take place on Saturday, as part of the Bookfest International Book Fair.
