| Dear audience, Today, the Swedish Academy will award László Krasznahorkai the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature »for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art«, as the citation states. We firmly believe in the power of art and extend our warmest congratulations on receiving the Nobel Prize today in Stockholm! László Krasznahorkai is no stranger to Berlin and has been closely connected with the international literature festival berlin (ilb) from the very beginning. As early as the festival’s second year in 2002, this year’s Nobel laureate was a guest at ilb – and he has returned again and again since then, a total of seven times. All of this gives us every reason to dedicate the new episode of our podcast Read, Read, Read to him. While in episode 3 – Who is in a Panic? – Niall Ferguson talks about why crises continue to catch us by surprise and how best to prepare for catastrophe, László Krasznahorkai claims in episode 4 that we are already living in an apocalypse. In Wem gehört der Punkt?, we hear the 2025 Nobel laureate speak about seemingly endless sentences, about divine punctuation, and about why he considers the natural state of the world to be apocalyptic. Together with his editor Hans Jürgen Balmes and literary critic Verena Auffermann, he reflects on catastrophe, consolation, and his wanderings through Manhattan. Excerpts from archival recordings made in 2017 and 2018 reveal an author who delves into the many shades of darkness using the expressive possibilities of the Hungarian language. Frank Arnold lends his voice to bring the texts vividly to life. An episode for everyone who wants to understand why Krasznahorkai’s literature has something to say to us – especially in the present day. Please note that the 4th podcast episode is available in German only. Listen to the episodes on Apple or Spotify Now that the cold season has set in, we warmly invite you, alongside listening to our podcast, to take a look at the events of the 25th ilb on our Youtube channel – ideally nice and cozy from your couch. You’ll also encounter other Nobel Prize-winning authors such as Herta Müller, Abdulrazak Gurnah, and Svetlana Alexievich. We wish you a wonderful winter season and look forward to seeing you again in the new year! With warm regards, Your ilb Team |
»Read, Read, Read« – Niall Ferguson & László Krasznahorkai
