Quote of the Month - December 2015

Christmas is a time of cheers,

not a time of sorrows.

So have some fun, drink some beer,

and be at work tomorrow!

Christmas greetings to the volunteers, Kibbutz Hatzor-Ashdod (Israel), 1985

Great voices - Berlin III

Some time ago, my mother asked me how Berlin has been...that's when I realised that I was lagging behind with this blog. So much had happend in the meantime: I have not only been to Berlin in September but, at the same time, found and moved into "a room of my own" after 1,5 years of shifting between The Netherlands and Germany. So, for you, dear reader, I will look back on my stay in Berlin at the "Internationales Literaturfestival 2015" (ilb).

I had tickets bought to some very inspiring and notable authors. Let's start with Jenny Erpenbeck. Just in short as I had her already mentioned several times on this blog (see April & September 2015 & July 2012). Jenny introduced her latest book in German Gehen, ging, gegangen ('Go, went, gone'; not yet translated) in which she turns to the issue of immigrants, specifically in her book, situated in Berlin. I have started reading it while staying in Berlin which was alluring for I walked some places that are mentioned in the book which made it even more palpable.

Then there was Laksmi Pamuntjak with her latest book Amba / The Question of Red / Alle Farben Rot (transl.: Martina Heinschke) in which she interweaves historical incidents with an Indonesian mythology. I have seen her later again at the Writers Unlimited programme The Series in den Den Haag being interviewed on the subject of Indonesia during the times of 1965-66. I will write more on her in springtime as I will give a talk on her in Germany in March 2016.

As Indonesia had been guest of honour at the Buchmesse Frankfurt this year the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin held a book presentation dealing with the complex subject of the 30 September Movement. As I will have a talk on Laksmi I took the opportunity to gather all possible additional information around this subject. So I bought a ticket to Leila S. Chudori's presentation of her latest novel Pulang / Home. Whereas Laksmi is approaching the same subject from a mythical point of view Leila takes a journalistic approach. Still, both authors are brave enough to touch a taboo on Indonesian history. Interesting to me not only because of the talk I will give but also because Indonesia is still closely connected to The Netherlands. For those living in The Netherlands: Leila's book has just been published by De Geus: Naar huis (transl.: Henk Maier) and she will attend the Tong Tong Festival in Den Haag at the end of May 2016.

Writing about taboos...let's move on to Mona Eltahawy talking with Laurie Penny and Josephine Decker on feminism ('Zur Lage des Feminismus III'). Clearly a taboo mainly but not only in the Middle East which is Mona's main focus, but also in other parts of the world as Mona touched a sensitive point by questioning how far women in Germany/Europe receive equal wages.
Astonishingly, there had been many young people in the audience though obviously they had been more interested in Laurie's strong language. All three had a clear point in focusing on equal rights for women. Whereas Mona's work carries another dimension: she not only wages a conflict with men in general but specifically with Arab men and their 'hatred' against women. This might be used by other communities against Arab men for which she is made seen as a traitor by the Arab community itself. We've seen this happen also with Afro-American women activists. Luckily, there are more and more men around the globe realising that supporting women is improving general conditions therefore it is best to join forces.


And especially in these times of unrest it is important to join forces and become a caring community worldwide gathering, symbolically, under the vast dome of the universe. Domes had not only been physically very present in Berlin but also metaphorically in Elif Shafak's novel The Architect's Apprentice. Another novel presented at the ilb in which Elif dives into the Istanbul of Mimar Sinan, major Ottoman architect.
She focuses on the spirit of architecture, the imagery of building and destroying bridges and presenting the diversity and richness of former Istanbul. Another warm and wonderful novel by this extraordinary author and I was very happy to finally meet Elif in person after having given a talk on her at the international women's day in Germany this year. I had learned that Elif and Mona had a meeting at the ilb. I imagine that it must have been very inspiring to both of them.

And then there had been Kamila Shamsie, another striking author (see also June 2012). While I attended the reading on her latest book A God in Every Stone I decided to add her to my talk on modern Indian women writers in October in Germany. To get a better understanding of this ongoing twist between India and Pakistan it is certainly necessary to read both sides of the medal and Kamila is, next to being Pakistani, an exceptional author and I sincerely recommended her books to my German audience. I boldly compare her, though she is still young of age, to Salman Rushdie, especially in relation to her expansive approach in her books.


 I was very glad to have been to the ilb this summer and having been able to meet all these excellent female authors at one place. And - there was this excellent interviewer (in the picture next to Kamila): Gabriele von Arnim. To have all English interviews translated on the spot by the interviewer was sometimes very annoying (Germans still seem very reluctant to do an effort themselves). But Gabriele did such a great job by interrelating questions and translation that it didn't feel as time consuming as with others. An outstanding performance.

Now, I am looking forward to another year ahead full of new literary experiences. And the first ones are already in sight: January will again host the 'finest international literature festival' in Den Haag: Writers Unlimited 2016, just one week ahead to the Jaipur literature festival 2016. Make sure to buy your tickets to the Writers Unlimited before 15 December and profit from a considerable discount (klick here).

Seasonal greetings to you all!

Quote of the Month - September 2015

"When asked [U.S. secretary of state John Kerry after the 2013 driving campaign by Saudi Arabian women] about the women's demands, Kerry said, essentially, that Saudi Arabia had the right to have whatever social order it saw fit. No recognition of the women's fight or courage. No recognition of the outrageous violations of women's rights. If any ethnic or religious group were being treated the way Saudi women are treated, such an apartheid would long ago have been condemned, and Saudi Arabia boycotted, by the United States and other Western nations."

from Headscarves and Hymens. Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution 
by Mona Elthahaway (2015)

Great voices - Berlin II

When I've read the book by Mona Eltahawy in advance of the 15th ilb (Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin) I was positively surprised by her clear statements regarding the position of women in various Arabic states. Is it provocative to name the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia "an apartheid" as in the citation above? Is it daring ? Is it audacious?
By questioning her point of view are we turning the blame again on women instead of focusing the blame on those who create and uphold a society in which such callous treatment is possible?!
Is there an overall misogynist atmosphere for NOT reacting on such treatment of women? What about the treatment of women in orthodox Jewish areas, e.g. NYC and Jerusalem, where it is becoming more and more common to have women riding on buses only in the back, separating or setting them apart (=apartheid?!) from men and the front seats? Where is the outcry towards societies that tolerate and support such behaviour?
And, had the apartheid system in the US and South Africa been based on religious reasons instead of racial reasons would have Western countries fought against it as much as they did?! Certainly some food for thought!
I will meet Mona Eltahawy in Berlin in a discussion on feminism and I hope to attend a lively discussion! I am certainly looking forward to it!

But beforehand I will see Laksmi Pamuntjak, an Indonesian poet, talking about her book Ellipsis / Alle Farben Rot (German by Martina Heinschke). As I will give a lecture on her around the IWD* in 2016 in Germany I am gathering information and try to meet her as many times as possible beforehand. Lucky me, she is also expected in Den Haag on 5 October with another reading...

Then there will be Elif Shafak, a Turkish author (see my blog July 2014) - she was the author I had given a lecture on at the IWD* in Germany this year. Lucky me (again), there was a Turkish visitor to the lecture and he gave some additional background information on her books in relation to her Turkish readership which was really inspiring. As I consider her as another great female author, I am really excited to meet her in person (see also her TED talk July 2010).

Another author I am really looking forward to is Kamila Shamsie, a Pakistani author with a long line of writers in her family (see my blog June 2012). A subtle and refined author as she is, having been nominated for this year's Bailey's Women's Prize for Fiction for her book A God in Every Stone, she is part of an extraordinary class of authors. Another event I am really happy to being able to attend.

And last but not least there will be Jenny Erpenbeck. I've just met her in Zwolle (NL) while she received the "Europese literatuurprijs" (European prize for literature, see my blog April 2015) for her book Een handvol sneeuw together with her translator Elly Schippers (E: The End of Days) for which she also won the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize this year. She will present her latest book Gehen, ging, gegangen ('Go, Went, Gone' not yet translated) reflecting on the very current challenges with millions of refugees stranding in Europe. I am curious how she approached this subject!

And those are only the readings I have bought tickets for way ahead of times! There are many more events that attract my attention! So, exciting times lie ahead and I am looking forward on sharing my 'point of view' on the events on this blog. Also check the site of the 15th ilb yourself: www.literaturfestival.com

*IWD = international women's day

Quote of the Month - August 2015

"I am so homesick for the Kurfürstendam,
I am so yearning for my Berlin..."

(Take your time to listen to Hildegard Knef singing: Heimweh nach dem Kurfürstendam)



Hildegard Knef & Marlene Dietrich, two passionate voices closely connected to Berlin

Great voices - Berlin I

Dear reader of this blog, you had to wait a little bit to read another quote of the month mainly due to the fact that it is summer time and a lot of times I prefer to read outside, enjoying the few sun shines in the northern part of Europe.  

But here we are again...and strong, stronger than ever especially with some strong female voices. To begin with I started with two female singers, Marlene Dietrich and Hildegard (K)nef, both very well known, also to the English speaking public.

Both women are closely connected to Berlin, both had 'lost a suitcase' in Berlin, both had sung of their longing to return to Berlin and both were lucky enough to being able to return eventually. (For a wonderful English cover version by Rene Caron on 'Suitcase in Berlin' click here)

copyright: placesonline.fr

And Berlin is were I will be returning, after exactly 31 years! The last time I was there, Berlin was still divided, we still had to cross the border of the former DDR and while visiting a former school friend of one of my school friend's father (who had fled the DDR in the early 50s) in East Berlin, I drove in a 'Trabant' (typical car in the former DDR) and ate sausages on a pizza for there was no other meat product other than that. I spent my compulsory 25 DDR-Mark mainly on...books! And I got some really interesting ones from Latin America! But since then I never had the drive to go back, never had the interest in returning though I know a bunch of people who love the city and return there every year, if they didn't return there for good to live there.

Nevertheless, I finally will return with one simple reason: some really great voices will be there again. Not so much singing voices but reading voices by some excellent writers: Kamila Shamsie, Jenny Erpenbeck, Elif Shafak, Laksmi Pamuntjak and maybe I can stay long enough to also meet Zeruya Shalev who will only arrive after Jom Kippur. All are part of an interesting programme of the international literature festival "internationales literaturfestival Berlin" (ilb). It will be a thriving week and I am so excited to being able to meet all those four(+) women (additionally I will meet Mona Eltahawy, Laurie Penny and Josephine Decker) in one spot: Berlin.

Pity that there won't be a get together of all of them in one discussion on female voices in the literary world...but this is a beginning and you never know what will be! So, I'll keep you informed...Maybe some of you are going there as well? I would love to learn about you and we might meet on the way?! You can contact me by mail or just use twitter @DiaLogaStef. Looking forward to it!

P.S.: If you happen to know some nice place to stay, I will be more than happy to learn about it!

Quote of the Month - July 2015

"Opanyin Poku stood up. 'I have heard. Am I the only one to know this story?'
Kayo shook his head while washing his hands in the bowl on the table. 'I have told you so that you can let the story get to those who need to know.'

from Tail of the Blue Bird by Nii Ayikwei Parkes (Vintage, Random House 2010)

Nii Ayikwei Parkes *1974

Over the years I befriended some people with a profession you don't usually meet in person, for example an Inuitologist. And, of lately, a pineapple farmer, indeed a Dutch pineapple farmer - actually living and working in Ghana. And since I am into literature, I tried to remember if I knew any author from Ghana. And sure I do: I recalled Nii Ayikwei Parkes in conversation with David Van Reybrouck at the WritersUnlimited literature festival (click here) in Den Haag this year! And while I did some research on Nii Ayikwei and his background I realised that there is a circle closing - enough reason to do another exception and present this month a male author on this blog.

And this circle started some odd 25 years ago in Hamburg. I was studying American Literature, focusing on Afro-American literature. I was reading books by Alice Walker and Toni Morrison (the better known), Ann Petry and Paule Marshall (the lesser known) and, my most favourite author, Zora Neale Hurston.
I was (and luckily still am) a curious one and always open to new styles in literature, always taking "the [road] less traveled by" (RF). So, when I came across an event which introduced some 'dub poets', I grew curious. And here, there were these two boys from the UK coming over to Hamburg to present their poetry in a sort 'slam session'. That's how I met Lemn Sissey (and Martin Glynn) and learned about 'musical' poetry (read the poem aloud and get into its rhythm). But I also learned about his struggle with life as a Black person in Britain ("British? Black and beautiful/Check it out my friend we're radical..."), with a social system hindering his mother to get back into contact with him for years. Beautifully mastered poems collected in his first publication with its telling title: Tender Fingers in a Clenched Fist (Bogle L'Ouverture Publications, 1988).

Now, you probably ask yourself, where is the connection to Ghanaian writer Nii Ayikwei Parkes?

Well, Nii Ayikwei is a writer in its broader sense. And he started with poetry to begin with. And, and here comes the missing link, both Lemn Sissey and Nii Ayikwei Parkes were members of Commonword, an initiative in Manchester to help new writers develop their passion. And it certainly helps: both are well known performing poetry artists and I wonder if it wasn't for poetry that made Lemn Sissey 'reach for the stars', being lately elected chancellor of the University of Manchester. I trust strongly in the possibility that poetry can do these things!

Anyway, as mentioned Nii Ayikwei started with poetry - and he started strong: he was writer-in-residence, artist-in-residence, poet-in-residence in the UK and USA, attended various poetry festivals all over the world and is one of the youngest living writers featured in the "Poems on the Underground" programme in London with his poem "Tin Roof" (you can purchase the poster here). He started his own publishing company flipped eye publishing when he realised that his poetry wouldn't be sold if not published in the UK. The list continues with two CDs with spoken-word poetry (Incredible Blues & Nocturne of Phrase; click here to get to Spotify), several chapbooks on poetry and short stories published in various magazines, just to name some. From his second fiction manuscript, Afterbirth, an excerpt is featured in the New Writing 15 anthology published by Granta (2007). And getting back to the literature festival in Den Haag again, you can listen to some beautiful poems read by himself (besides David Grossman, Jennifer Clement and Stefan Hertmans) at Poets in the House. In 2007, Nii Ayikwei received the Arts Critics and Reviewers Association of Ghana Award for Poetry and in 2010 the Michael Marks Poetry Award and his debut novel Tail of the Blue Bird (2009) was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 2010 and awarded with the Prix Mahogany in 2014 for its French translation by Sika Fakambi.

The novel is another welcoming new style of original writing: an honest depiction of life in Ghana with a truthful vocabulary giving you the right touch of the place. An honest novel with a main character in a torn country. A country torn between traditions of honouring the old and wise, while being corrupted by money and power. And the big question of: how far do you go along with a political system? How much will you compromise to be able to do the work you are trained in and love? How much do you go along with structures of power and corruption to live an easy life and enjoy some comfort?
Next to this political level of the 'outer' story, the inner story focuses on the inherent level of a story: why do we tell stories at all? What's the use of it? Maybe we find an answer in the book itself:

"The hunter sat up and took the last piece of meat from his bowl. 'Hmm. What more is there to say? That is the story. Like all stories, it is a story about forgetting for if we didn't forget there would be no mistakes and there would be no stories.'"

A mythical story set in the harsh reality of Ghana. A country in the grip of power structures, disrespect and humiliation of its people with some hope that the people will not submit (so it is more than a 'detective story' as mentioned in Dutch reviews).

And were is Nii Ayikwei now actually from? He was born in the UK while his parents from Ghana studied there, but grew up in Ghana when they returned. He, himself, returned again to the UK to study at the Metropolitan University in Manchester - and that is when I got curious and the circle started turning...

RT = Robert Frost, excerpt from his poem "The Road Not Taken"