Etgar Keret - Fly Already

Etgar Keret’s stories oscillate between fantasy and comedy; his characters grapple with problems of parenting and family, as well as memory and love. His texts highlight different aspects of modern Israeli society: racism, love, the military, longing, and fear. Keret counteracts the problems in his homeland with ruthless directness, irony, and optimism. Etgar Keret will be participating remotely. 

In this session, the author will read from his most recent novel, Fly Already (2019), which was awarded the National Jewish Book Award.

The author reads from the original novel in Hebrew (accompanied by the reading of a German translation).

This event will be streamed live on the ilb website www.literaturfestival.com.

Time & Location

Sep 12, 2020 | 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

silent green Kulturquartier
Gerichtstraße 35
13347 Berlin

Leif Randt - Allegro Pastell

Often compared to other representatives of German pop literature, Randt’s novels range from seemingly mundane love stories to science fiction narratives. In the affluent societies found in his works, modes of self-control and affective alienation are featured prominently and influence the aesthetic programme of Randt’s writing.

His latest novel, Allegro Pastell (2020), from which the author will read, has received considerable recognition and has been lauded as an epochal generational novel.

The event will be held in German.

Time & Location

Sep 15, 2020 | 09:00 PM - 10:00 PM

silent green Kulturquartier
Gerichtstraße 35
13347 Berlin

Tara June Winch - The Yield

In her work writer Tara June Winch deals with a multitude of universal issues such as closeness and distance to loved ones, past dreams, and lost homelands. Her first novel, Swallow in the Air (2006), tells a story of familial trauma, identity, and belonging as it follows the siblings Billy and May after the sudden death of their mother. Since then Winch has received countless awards and her debut is now considered a classic of Australian literature.

Winch will read to us an excerpt of her latest novel, The Yield (2019), that focuses on the Gondiwindi family, members of the Wiradjuri nation.

The event will be held in English.

This event will be streamed live on the ilb website www.literaturfestival.com.

Time & Location

Sep 19, 2020 | 07:30 PM - 08:30 PM

silent green Kulturquartier
Gerichtstraße 35
13347 Berlin

Szczepan Twardoch - The Kingdom

The stories of Szczepan Twardoch’s novels explore notions of change and stasis over the course of (alternative) histories, especially those of the first half of the 20th century. The author made his breakthrough with the novel, Morfina (2012), which became an international bestseller and has won numerous awards.

For this event, Szczepan Twardoch will read from his book, Królestwo (2018; tr: Kingdom), which is set in the Warszaw Ghetto in 1939.

The author’s reading of the original text in Polish will be accompanied by a reading of the German translation.

This event will be streamed live on the ilb website www.literaturfestival.com.

Time & Location

Sep 19, 2020 | 09:00 PM - 10:00 PM

silent green Kulturquartier
Gerichtstraße 35
13347 Berlin

International Children's and Youth Literature

Onjali Q. Raúf - The Boy at the Back of the Class

Scholar, author, and founder of two NGOs, O’s Refugee Aid Team and Making Herstory, Onjali Q. Raúf came up with the idea for her first children's book, The Boy at the Back of the Class (2018), while volunteering with refugee aid programmes. The book examines the refugee crisis from a child's perspective. Other texts have dealt with the effects of domestic violence on the lives of children.

The author will read from her earlier work, The Boy at the Back of the Class, which was awarded, among others, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.

The event will be held in English and German.

This event will be streamed live on the ilb website www.literaturfestival.com.

Time & Location

Sep 10, 2020 | 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM

silent green Kulturquartier
Gerichtstraße 35
13347 Berlin