The festival spirit extends into the fall, as the award-winning Indian author and activist Arundhati Roy ventures into new literary territory with her first memoir. In »Mother Mary Calls to Me«, Roy not only reflects on her eventful life, but also on the political upheavals of her homeland, her special relationship with her mother.
Roy achieved worldwide fame with her debut novel »The God of Small Things«, for which she was awarded the Booker Prize, among other accolades. She has since used her international fame for her political and humanitarian commitment. A fierce critic of the Indian government, she was threatened with imprisonment.
In her impressive opening speech at the ilb in 2009, she warned against the erosion of democratic systems through neoliberal market logic and political oppression. Her move to memoir – a genre that illuminates the personal in the context of social developments – seems only logical. »One can only marvel at her tenacity to rebel and the poetic power with which she does so. Both together give her a unique greatness.« [SPIEGEL]
With Arundhati Roy
Moderated by Priya Basil
The event will be held in English with readings in German.
The anniversary program is made possible by the LOTTO Foundation Berlin.