The Non/Fiction Book Fair, Russia’s most prestigious annual book fair, which includes exhibitions and book sales by more than 250 Russian and international publishing houses and which draws tens of thousands of visitors to the five day event, has announced its “Top List” of the most important publications in 2011.

For the first time in the book fair’s history a publication focusing on the State of Israel, the recently published three-volume History of Israel by Howard Sachar, was chosen as one of the best books of the year. In making the announcement, chosen by a selection committee of Russia’s top writers, the Book Fair emphasized the importance of Israeli history in Russian society, especially with the large Russian population in Israel and the relatively unknown historical background of the birth of the Jewish State.

The books, published as part of the Aminov Jewish History Series that is slated to publish many more titles on Jewish and Israel history in the coming years, is supported by a local Russian philanthropist and the AVI CHAI Foundation. The books are already available in large bookstores in the former Soviet Union and beyond.

The prestigious book fair will be taking place at the large, three-floor Convention Center of the Central House of Artists in Moscow from November 30th to December 5th, 2011. Knizhniki Publishers, which published The History of Israel, will have a bookstand at the fair, with presentations and an aggressive promotion campaign for this as well as other books focusing on Jewish and Israeli themes.

In addition, and for the second year in a row, the Book Fair committee also chose a book from the projects Illustrated Children’s Book Series on Jewish Themes – Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback – as part of its Top List in the Children’s book category. Last year, the Book Fair also chose The Family Carnovsky by Israel Joshua Singer as the best book in the fiction category for 2010.