A look at Greek literature and the book market offers real grounds for hope
The Greek book market is small, but interesting. Historically speaking, the end of Greece’s military dictatorship - which lasted from 1967 to 1974 – marked a major turning point in the story of modern Greek publishing. In 1974, everything changed.[more …]
When the shortlist for the 2018 German Book Prize was disclosed in September 2018, it was said that the state of the world seemed to be preying on the minds of German-language writers. A perfect example of this was Inger Maria Mahlke’s novel, “Archipel” (Rowohlt), which won the book prize in October 2018.[more …]
When the 2018 year in books began, the big non-fiction theme already seemed to be settled: 1968. After all, the student revolt of that year was just experiencing its fiftieth anniversary. [more …]
Whether it’s bite-resistant board-books for littlies or teenage novels focusing largely on the challenges of identity, whether it’s graphic novels for children or deeply researched non-fiction books aimed at readers ‘of all ages’[more …]
The Greek-German literature symposium “SYN_ENERGY BERLIN_ATHENS,” which took place at the Lettrétage in Berlin from October 17-21, 2018, featured over 20 poets, prose writers, playwrights, translators, word performance artists, essayists and publishers from Greece, Cyprus, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. [more …]
After the positive feedback we received from the July 2017 German-Arabic ViceVersa translator workshop, all of the participants have joined forces again for yet another workshop in May 2018. [more …]
Booktubing, which refers to self-produced videos that present literature online, has turned into a major trend that resonates powerfully with audiences across the Internet. Nada Elshabrawy was the first Egyptian to create her own professional Booktubing channel in 2017. In her videos, which she produces on a regular basis, she talks about books that are near to her heart. Shady also produces shows online that offer tips on literature. In an interview, the two discuss this new trend, their passion for literature and the response of the public in the Arabic world. [more …]
After the positive feedback we received from the July 2017 German-Arabic ViceVersa translator workshop, all of the participants have joined forces again for yet another workshop in May 2018. [more …]
The Swiss author Jonas Lüscher and his Arabic translator Moataz al-Maghawari spent five days end of September to clear up last questions about the philosophical, political and cultural context of Lüscher's recent novel "Kraft" and to fine-tune the style of the Arabic translation.[more …]
Reinhard Kleist is one of Germany’s finest graphic-novel illustrators and has traveled the Arab world extensively, discovering a fascinating local comics scene. In 2017, his volume "The Dream of Olympia" appeared in Arabic translation with Sefsafa Publishing House in Cairo.[more …]
Nabil Alhaffar is considered one of the most renowned and experienced translators in the business and has received numerous awards for his work. In 1974, he began translating theater texts and thereafter novels, stories and fairy tales from German into Arabic. In an interview with Litrix.de, he discusses his work as a translator and the challenges it presents. His advice to young translators: always distance yourself from the original text.[more …]
When translators gather to discuss their projects, there is never enough time, regardless how much is available. Every aspect of the work is considered, reworked, deliberated, debated, doubted, questioned, turned around, discarded, restructured, reformulated.[more …]
Bloggers have become established in the literature business and are meantime important contacts for publishers. What is more, many a blog can compete with the newspaper arts sections.[more …]
In the picturesque Blutenburg Castle in Munich resides the world’s largest library for international children’s and youth literature. But it is anything but a dreamy castle of books.[more …]
Bodo Kirchhoff has been awarded the 2016 German Book Prize for his novel "Widerfahrnis". This guarantees that it will sell well – as do the winners of other literary prizes in Europe and the USA. [more …]
Text and pictures are more closely interwoven in comics than in any other literary genre. In our interview, comic translator Ulrich Pröfrock reveals why this makes life particularly challenging for translators, and which freedoms they have.[more …]
During the course of the International Book Fair in the Sharjah Emirate, which took place from November 2 - 12, the United Arab Emirates issued a law which regulates how the government creates incentives to read.[more …]
Franz Kafka is one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. What exactly fascinates Arabic readers about Kafka’s life and works? What role do his texts play in shaping aesthetic and intellectual perspectives in the Arabic-speaking world?[more …]
At the beginning of 2016 the Syrian writer Assaf Alassaf received the “White Sea Grant” for threatened writers and artists from the Mediterranean region. An interview.[more …]
From March 26-30, Berlin-based author Ulla Lenze was invited by Litrix.de to present her novel, “Die Endlose Stadt” [The Endless City] in Cairo and Alexandria.[more …]
Comic artists from Germany are holding workshops and showing their work at the Goethe-Instituts worldwide. One of them is Reinhard Kleist. In 2015, he worked at the Goethe-Instituts in Krakow, Minsk and Hanoi. His sketches and notes show what he observed in those locations.[more …]
German comics enjoy success with both critics and readers. In vogue are especially subjects pertaining to contemporary history, new forms of narrative and comics produced by women artists.[more …]
With the increasing efforts to revive the book market in the Arab world by publishers and cultural institutions, intermittently hindered by economic, political and social factors, the limitations of this market are yet to be explored and redefined.[more …]
A child, a football and a search for friends to play with: "Kann ich mitspielen?" [Can I play too?] is the title of Jens Rassmus' children's book, which was translated into Arabic and published in Ramallah. In March 2016, the book was presented along with a workshop for illustrators from Gaza and the West Bank.[more …]
With a reading by Ricarda Junge from her novel „Die letzten warmen Tage“ [The last warm days] and a presentation of the programme, the new special-focus was launched at the Cairo International Literature Festival. [more …]
They discover new talent and bring out limited series. However just as the big publishing houses are battling with the onslaught of digitalisation, the independent publishing houses too have had to face up to these challenges.[more …]
Thousands of books vie for the attention of readers each year, and an appealing cover can catch the eye of a potential customer – but is it really the key selling factor? [more …]
In these days of Facebook and Youtube, many large publishing houses are placing their bets on short films to advertise new books. But the costs of a professional book trailer are high and the advertising impact much-disputed.[more …]
He used to work as a bricklayer and carpenter before he discovered, and became fascinated by, the world of literature. Lutz Seiler was awarded the 2014 German Book Prize for his debut novel “Kruso”.[more …]
Despite their importance for literature, translators are rarely in the spotlight. “Translating Books – Building Bridges” is the motto of a residence program that enables translators to spend time working in Germany at two unusual places and so puts their literary and inter-cultural achievement in focus.[more …]
At the Leipzig Book Fair, the Moroccan author Yassin Adnan spoke with Klaus-Dieter Lehman and Donata Kinzelbach about the impact of the Arabellion on writers in the Maghreb. This is an interview with Kersten Knipp.[more …]
Contemporary literature written in German has grown remarkably heterogeneous, diverse and broad in its range of topics. Nonetheless, it is possible to identify a few areas authors are choosing to focus on.[more …]
