Leukerbad International Literature Festival
The 2018 Leukerbad International Literature Festival is being held from 29 June to 1 July. One of the special features at this year’s event in the Valais mountain resort is that no fewer than five Swiss authors whose latest work was realised with the help of a work grant from Pro Helvetia will be there to present the publication in question.
(Photo: © Leukerbad Tourismus)
New Swiss literature in Leukerbad
Melinda Nadj Abonji «Schildkrötensoldat»
In the wake of her prize-winning novel «Tauben fliegen» auf («Fly Away, Pigeon»), which was awarded both the Swiss and the German Book Prize, Melinda Nadj Abonji has published a new novel entitled «Schildkrötensoldat» (Suhrkamp). The story revolves around Zoltán, a social outsider who grew up in Serbia during the civil war. In Leukerbad, the author can be experienced in a joint music and literature performance with musicians Balts Nill and Mich Gerber.
(Photo: © Gaetan Bally)
Vanni Bianconi «Sono due le parole che rimano in ore»
In his latest poetry collection «Sono due le parole che rimano in ore» (Casagrande), Ticino-based Vanni Bianconi touches on the phenomenon of love in an unassuming lyrical style, broaching the topic from many different angles. Bianconi’s poems frequently play with and among languages, and also exist in various translations. In Leukerbad Bianconi will therefore be presenting his texts in different languages.
(Photo: © Anna Leader)
Thilo Krause with «Was wir reden, wenn es gewittert»
The poems of Thilo Krause, a German author living in Zurich, have garnered several awards, including the Brentano Prize 2016. His verses reflect closely observed moods and everyday life situations. In «Was wir reden, wenn es gewittert» (Edition Lyrik Kabinett at Hanser), too, his prime focus is on ordinary, everyday objects and words.
(Photo: © Yvonne Böhler)
Christina Viragh «Eine dieser Nächte»
Christina Viragh was born in Hungary, emigrated to Switzerland in 1960, and now lives in Rome. She has made a name for herself not only as an author, but also as the translator of Hungarian writers Péter Nádas, Sándor Márai and Imre Kertész. Her novel «Eine dieser Nächte» (Dörlemann-Verlag) describes the experiences of an array of travellers on a long-distance night flight. In Leukerbad, Christina Viragh will read from this publication and also join Peter Nádas and Ilma Rakusa for a discussion of the novels by Peter Nádas.
(Photo: © Yvonne Böhler)
Fanny Wobmann «Am Meer dieses Licht» (French original: «Nues dans un verre d’eau»)
Fanny Wobmann from the French-speaking part of Switzerland was awarded the Schweizerische Schillerstiftung’s Terra Nova Prize 2017 for her second novel, which tells about the last conversation between the protagonist Laura and her terminally ill grandmother. The book was recently translated into German and published by Limmat-Verlag. Together with her translator Lis Künzli, Fanny Wobmann will be in Leukerbad to introduce the novel.
(Photo: © Ayse Yavas)
