I leave my 33rd Frankfurt today. As usual, the logistics were impeccable. It's quite amazing how little goes wrong given the complexity, size and innate likelihood of Murphy's Law taking effect.

Business seemed pretty well in line with expectations. There were the usual number of non-events, non books of the fair, missed appointments, preening opportunities, job interviews, deals concluded or initiated, authors wandering about looking dazed and wondering why they were there, consultants, ex industry superstars prowling the aisles in search of just one more challenge. And then there are the parties and dinners and late night drinks in smokey (yes, people still smoke in Frankfurt) and crowded bars. The slightly (or hugely) jaded people at breakfast the following morning. The perpetual discussions about stand design and cost. But every year we come back for more. We are a strange industry.

If you're feeling up to it and want a framework in which to think about the changes in publishing today check out this article on Thomas Kuhn. The word 'paradigm' has been debased by over- and inaccurate use but I believe we are seeing the 'normal' way of publishing being challenged from many directions and we are finding it hard to address the issues with our current structures and understandings. We are undergoing a paradigm shift which is what makes our industry so interesting right now. I'm not sure how far we are in developing a new 'theory' to replace the old but I supect we need to find it fast or suffer some harsh consequences.

Have a good weekend.

Postscript on Frankfurt 2006. Not mentioned in any of the statistics issued about the fair (numbers of visitors, deal done, awards granted, parties enjoyed etc) was one significant fact. There is only one postbox in the whole enormous complex. Ten years ago there would have been at least twenty.