In three most productive days the European Literature Days 2014 came up with a remarkable European cocktail of insights, discussions, thoughts, ideas and new perspectives. Press releases, the literary diary from Britanni Sonnenberg (The guy has left the room, probably he is on reha) and a videofilm will document the European Literaturedays 2014. Thanks you…
History
2014, History
ELit 2014 – seized by literature
by Brittani Sonnenberg •
The reason we create and consume literature is to feel suddenly seized by story. It’s never a given. But during the evening’s reading and discussion on 24th of October 2014 (with Marica Bodrožić and Andrey Kurkow, moderated by Rosie Goldsmith), I felt wonderfully seized, by both authors. Bodrožić spoke about writing her last book, My…
2014, History
Reading Parlour/ Lesestube ELit 2014
by Rüdiger Wischenbart •
How we read – or how we write, too – is subject to continuous change, just as the social and cultural environment that is framing our habits and approaches. The digital space which has evolved over the past decade through the Internet, the culture of the web and, most recently, ebooks, are now impacting with…
2014, History
Durch die Abwehrreihen tänzeln
by Rainer Moritz •
Nicht nur die Literatur ist schön … Fußball auch Fußball und Schönheit – geht das zusammen? Zählen nicht allein Siege, Meisterschaften, WM-Triumphe? Was nützt es dem treuen Fan, wenn seine geliebte Mannschaft eine glanzvoll herausgespielte Führung in der letzten Viertelstunde vergeigt, weil sie bis zum Schluss der Lust am Spiel frönt und sich nicht durch…
2014, History
WHY DO WE DO IT? CHAIRING EVENTS ON EUROPEAN LITERATURE
by Rosie Goldsmith •
Chairing events is a delightful part of my job as a journalist. Interviewing people ‘live’ on stage is similar to presenting on TV or radio, and if you like that public aspect of journalism – which I do – then it’s great fun. I love the energy and unpredictability of the live event. It’s also unpredictable…
2014, History
Throw-away Books, a Cultural Wasteland and Archives/ Wegwerfbuch, Brachland und Archiv
by Walter Grond •
A few days ago I took part in the Creative Europe event at the Urania Institute in Vienna. Will everything stay as it was? Or will everything change? The Austrian Federal Chancellery invited us to a preliminary meeting about the EU Support Programme Creative Europe. The presentations and discussions, which most impressed me during the…
2014, History
Rich versus Poor/ Reich versus arm
by Walter Grond •
The European Literature Days 2011 presented me with some revealing insights. Under the banner of Europe: Fortress, Trauma and Dream, we discussed what possibilities there were for crossing political and cultural boundaries in Europe. The verdict on the open Europe we all long for was devastating and, from the outset, unanimous: Europe is about exclusion.…
2014, History
Building Bridges – the wrong moment?/ Brücken schlagen – unzeitgemäß?
by Walter Grond •
When the ELit Literaturhaus Europa (Literature House Europe) was first launched, we undertook a small experiment with our authors, an idea called readme: ‘You tell me what you read and I’ll tell you who you are!’ (http://readme.cc). We felt distinctions like ‘Either books or Digital Media’ were superfluous, even more so ‘Ink good, Computer bad’.…
2014, History
Looking Ahead: European Literature 2014
by Rosie Goldsmith •
I often chair and curate events on European Literature in the UK, where I’m often asked: ‘Does European Literature exist?’ That may be a shocking question to all of you out there on the Euro-mainland but on our little islands it’s a valid question. It’s tied up with our traditional British Euro-scepticism and our current…
2014, History
Rosie On The Danube
by Rosie Goldsmith •
Magical Memories of ELIT 2013 Where better place to be in October but on the Danube, discussing great literature, drinking stunning Wachau wines and surrounded by vineyards? Not a blue Danube now but a golden, autumnal Danube; hills of terraced red-yellow vineyards climbing up from its shores; a panorama punctuated by pastel baroque buildings, the…