Christian Kracht reads from his novel »Eurotrash«, in which a first person narrator once again goes on a journey. But this time, instead of indulging in the consumer world as in »Faserland«, the narrator ventures into his own inner self and into the abysmal history of his family, which is
Before fleeing the military dictatorship in her native Myanmar at age 20, Wendy Law-Yone learned German. »There was chaos all around me«, she says, »but the German language gave me structure.« In her essay, she humorously recounts the role played by the work of Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Already established as a
Cancel Culture ― since 2020, we’ve been hearing and reading the term more and more often. But how does Cancel Culture differ from historical cases of censorship, boycott and noplatforming? Where do boycotts in the arts and culture lead us to, who do they weaken, and when are they legitimate?
Viktor Jerofejew is known not only as a novelist, but also as an essayist and keen observer of Russian politics. He was exposed to strong hostility from nationalists for his »Encyclopedia of the Russian Soul«, published in 1999, for his critical examination of the traditions of his country. Vladimir Velminsky,
A swimming hall is sinking into the muddy ground, in a barracks there are only four toilets for 2,400 soldiers, and on a golf course the grass seeds do not grow. Poet Charlotte van den Broeck’s »Waagstukken« [tr: Bold Ventures] is a personal essay that gets to the bottom of
Samuel Shimon is founder and editor of the journal ›Banipal‹, which publishes contemporary Arabic literature in English and Spanish translation. Together with Stefan Weidner — translator, author of »Ground Zero: 9/11 und die Geburt der Gegenwart« [tr: Ground Zero: 9/11 and the Birth of the Present], and mediator between Germany
While her parents are constantly fighting during their summer vacation, 14-year-old Esther and her little sister are having fun at the seaside. There they meet Salomon, also 14, and his little sister. In free verse and with photos and drawings, the book sensitively tells the story of a great summer
It is winter in Oslo in 1942. Sonja is waiting for her sister Ilse. Instead of her, three policemen appear at the door, and the lives of the Sterns, a Jewish family, are abruptly torn apart. The historical novel, which won the Uprisen Prize, is a »movingly beautiful narrative« [SZ]
For years, the highly sensitive Cameron and his anxious mother have been on the run from his abusive father. In their newest home, an old farmhouse in the small town of Wolf Hollow, Cameron hears the voice of Jacky, the boy who disappeared without a trace fifty years ago. The
Jacominus Gainsborough is a white rabbit whose entire life from birth to death is the focus of this book. Poetic language and richly detailed double-page illustrations describe the exciting stages of the rabbit’s fictional life. The book artwork is »as colourful and beautiful and sad as life« [Der Tagesspiegel] and
Nine-year-old Emil has fallen head over heels in love with Florine, his new classmate. She proposes a game to him in which she is a princess and he is a servant. Now, Emil must fulfill every one of Florine’s wishes. But then she falls for Alexander because, after all, Emil
Everything changes for eleven-year-old Mira when the popular Beate joins her class and starts a lovers’ club with her best friend Karla. Mira is not allowed to join this club because she has never been in love before. The comic »succeeds masterfully in approaching the everyday life of adolescents« [NZZ]
