Sicilian refugee camp, Niger Delta, Berlin nightclub: the settings of Helon Habila’s stories are as varied as the genres in which he writes. In his novels, short stories and a non-fiction book, he asks: What does it mean to be human today? He will talk about his work and his
In Raphaëlle Red’s debut »Adikou«, a young woman follows in the footsteps of her unknown father. The novel about a journey from France via Togo to the USA poses questions about identity, heritage, and community. Finn Job’s road novella »Hinterher«, about a trip from Berlin to France, again tells of
German Book Premiere Noo Saro-Wiwa traveled to China to witness an »unlikely bumping of cultural tectonic plates«, as she writes in her non-fiction book »Black Ghosts«. She talks to African migrants – heart surgeons, workers, drug dealers – and explores their role for trade between the continents with compassion and
German Book Premiere A country ravaged by civil war, a family torn apart by violence and conflicting ideologies. An aspiring doctor, 16-year-old Sashi experiences the civil war in Sri Lanka firsthand. This novel tells the story of her life and that of her brothers over the course of a decade
German Book Premiere June 1994, 14-year-old Beata flees Rwanda with a Swiss aid convoy. Years later, a search for clues begins that lasts more than a decade and raises questions about the power of Western media and personal memories. The author talks to survivors of the genocide against the Tutsi,
Can the pain of October 7, 2023 and the Gaza War be put into words? How can literature address and process the current events? In recent months, the first literary works have appeared that attempt to come to terms with the human tragedy in Israel and Gaza. Saba-Nur Cheema and
How do you face your fears? What helps against a panic attack? In »Fürchten lernen«, Nando von Arb takes a colorful and contrasting look at a basic human emotion. Based on the author’s personal experiences, the graphic novel tells in short episodes not only of ravenous snakes and fearful rabbits,
German Book Premiere Thalle, a small town in the French countryside: Nina has recently started secondary school, but because of her childish appearance she is the object of ridicule from her classmates. Nina is even shunned by her old friend Camille. One morning, however, change is in the air: a
Spaces of Freedom – Unlearning History Showcasing Female Literary Creativity from the Western Balkans A literary revue presents some of the most exciting voices from the Western Balkans: Rumena Bužarovs – ka, Diana Çuli, Barbara Delać, Lejla Kalamujić, Barbi Marković and Adelina Tërshani perform new poetry and prose. Their texts
Memoir, travelogue, journalism: the varieties of nonfiction are manifold. Mary-Alice Daniel writes about her own migration story, Sonia Faleiro investigates femicides in India, and Noo Saro-Wiwa narrates the lives of African migrants in China. The three authors discuss the challenges and the importance of the nonfiction form in tackling the
The most absurd things happen in Norman Erikson Pasaribu’s short stories. Even though the characters struggle with loneliness and heartache as queer people, they are rarely completely lost. The best weapon against despair is humor. But how do you create it in your writing? This workshop is about humor as
When books by African authors are first published in Europe or the USA, this has an impact on their publication in Africa: licenses and translations are expensive, which means that books are often not published where they were written – and only reach the African audience to a limited extent.
