Where Industry, Hope, and Humanity Converge
From its modest beginnings in 1949, when postwar publishers gathered in Frankfurt to rebuild and share new ideas, the Frankfurter Buchmesse has grown into the world’s most important international book fair. Over the decades, it has transformed from a regional gathering of German publishers into a global platform where stories are launched, partnerships are forged, and the future of publishing is shaped. That journey of steady growth, vision, and innovation is what makes the fair so influential today.
Now celebrating its 77th year, the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025 is set to host more than 7,500 exhibitors from across the globe. It offers far more than book displays: visitors can explore groundbreaking titles, attend insightful discussions with leading authors and thinkers, witness the latest in publishing technology, and discover how books continue to evolve across media and cultures. It’s not just a fair — it’s a creative crossroads where tradition meets tomorrow.
The Imagination Peoples the Air
Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025
Adding to the excitement, the Philippines takes center stage as the Guest of Honour for 2025, presenting the theme “The Imagination Peoples the Air” — a powerful nod to the nation’s storytelling spirit inspired by José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere. With over a hundred Filipino authors, artists, and events bringing the country’s rich literary heritage and contemporary voices to Frankfurt, this year’s fair celebrates not only books but also the vibrant diversity of global storytelling.
Amid this international showcase of creativity and history, Kravitz & Sons proudly presents Motor City: A Novel of Detroit by R.J. Linteau — a sweeping, multi-generational tale of ambition, adversity, and resilience that captures the heart of America’s industrial rise.
The Beating Heart of an Industrial Revolution
Motor City tells the compelling stories of three men — Angus Drummond, Tobias Woodson, and Jacob Hoffman — whose lives intersect in the roaring heart of 1930s Detroit. From Scotland, Mississippi, and Germany, these men converge in a city defined by innovation and inequality, where dreams collide with the harsh realities of race, class, and survival.
Angus, a Scottish immigrant drawn by the promise of the automobile industry; Tobias, the grandson of a slave seeking freedom from the cotton fields; and Jacob, a Jewish engineer fleeing Nazi Germany — all arrive in Detroit chasing the same dream: a better life. But in the relentless hum of factory machines and the rise of the United Auto Workers, their ambitions test their endurance, integrity, and humanity.
Through vivid historical detail and emotionally charged storytelling, Linteau brings to life an era of transformation — when the motor car symbolized hope and hardship alike. The novel captures the grit of the assembly line, the tensions of labor strikes, and the enduring power of friendship and perseverance amid turmoil.
Crafting History Through Fiction
R.J. Linteau is a master of historical fiction whose work blends meticulous research with deeply human storytelling. A graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy with a degree in Architecture, Linteau spent decades in real estate development before dedicating himself fully to writing. His architectural training lends his fiction structure and precision, while his passion for history infuses it with authenticity and depth.
Author of four novels and two screenplays, Linteau is known for placing ordinary people in extraordinary historical moments — from the early struggles of the UAW to the assassination plots of World War II and the political upheavals of Haiti. His influences include Erik Larson, Ken Follett, and Elmore Leonard, whose narrative realism and historical scope inspire his own literary voice.
Why It Belongs on the Global Stage
At the 77th Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025, where literature reflects the complexity of global identity and progress, Motor City stands as an epic tribute to the dreamers who built modern America. It reminds readers that history is not made by great machines or towering buildings, but by the people who dared to create them — immigrants, laborers, and visionaries united by hope.
Linteau’s novel resonates beyond its Detroit setting, echoing the struggles faced by workers and communities worldwide. Its themes of perseverance, equality, and human dignity transcend borders, aligning perfectly with the Buchmesse’s celebration of stories that define and unite us.
