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The Guardian
22-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
I'm a writer from the Balkans. Why do people assume I only know about war and tragedy?
I attended an American writers' conference in Texas, just before the world plunged into Covid-19 lockdowns. Between panels and networking, I spent my time wandering around the book fair, leafing through titles and peppering publishers with questions. 'How many translated works are in your catalogues? How do you discover authors from outside the US? And how do you evaluate the quality of writing in languages you don't speak?' I wasn't just curious – I was on a mission. I wanted to know what kind of work appealed to American publishers and whether mine might catch their interest. I didn't bother hiding my ambition. One response has stayed with me, lodged in my mind like a spore. It came from a representative of one of the largest US publishing houses. After I explained where I was from, using buzzwords like 'former Yugoslavia's northern republic' and 'not a war zone at the moment', he offered this piece of advice: 'Think about stories and themes specific to your culture and the history of the place.' 'So,' I ventured, 'not a story about, say, a woman who leaves her career in finance, divorces her husband, and becomes a potter?' 'Well, if that story also explored your cultural or historical issues, then yes.' I felt a prick of annoyance but thanked him politely and walked away. A coffee and cigarette suddenly felt essential. In the years since, I've come to understand why his words irritated me so much. They exposed a pattern – one that still frustrates me. For authors from the Balkans, and other European nations and countries worldwide whose history and culture are a mystery to North Americans, the road to being translated into English and published by US or British publishers often depends on meeting one unspoken condition: our work must present our region's political or cultural context, or at least draw from pivotal historic events. To succeed, it must have explanatory or illustrative value – ideally with a dash of didacticism. 'American readers need to learn about the place,' the publisher had said. At first glance, this expectation seems benign – reasonable, even. After all, authors everywhere, including those from the Balkans, reflect on their immediate political and cultural surroundings. Literature has always been a medium for mirroring, analysing and critiquing society. But the deeper implication of this expectation is more troubling. It rests on a tacit belief that the Balkans is a lesser place – a region forever simmering with potential for tragedy. As the publisher candidly put it: 'Tackling something culturally or historically problematic – or better, traumatic – would be of interest.' By 'traumatic', was he imagining the atrocities of the second world war or the Yugoslav wars? Was he picturing a region mired in poverty, inequality and patriarchal traditions? Perhaps he assumed Balkan societies are uniquely prone to violence or sadness. Maybe he hoped for stories of post-socialist disillusionment, perpetuating the notion that we're still processing the 'trauma' of Yugoslav socialism. I can't say for sure. What I do know is this: he wouldn't have been interested in a Balkan version of My Year of Rest and Relaxation. A novel about a protagonist from the Balkans who's simply exhausted by capitalism, self-absorbed, angry or morally ambiguous would fail to tick the right boxes. Sadly for him, he probably would have glossed over the hybrid novel by Slovenian writer Nataša Kramberger, who took over a farm in Slovenian Styria, after moving back from Berlin. And I suspect he wouldn't care much for the short stories of the Croatian Luiza Bouharaoua, which paint the angst and joys of millennials, albeit in the colours of the Adriatic. Nor for the poetry of the North Macedonian poet Kalia Dimitrova, who likes to refer to Capri and Berlin but seldom to Skopje. For a work by a Balkan author to succeed, its protagonist must be a victim – a clear and unambiguous one. Publishers prefer stories that elicit compassion, moral indignation, heartbreak or, ideally, all three. In short, we Balkan writers are expected to approach universal themes – grief, alienation, love, loss – through a narrowly regional lens. And that lens must include a self-exoticising twist. To be clear, the Balkans is a specific region with unique cultural, political and historical complexities. Writers from this part of the world have much to say about these, and many do so brilliantly. But if translations into English are meant to expand knowledge about 'that Balkan place', publishers must be willing to engage with stories that challenge established perceptions. The question isn't whether Balkan writers should reflect their context. We often do, naturally. The question is whether publishers will listen to the diversity of voices emerging from the region – or if they'll keep privileging narratives that neatly reinforce their assumptions. After all, there's much more to the Balkans than trauma, tragedy or tales tailored to teach. There are also just exceptionally written stories about women who once worked in finance, left their husbands and opened a pottery business. Some North American and UK publishers have already supported such stories fully – hence Georgi Gospodinov's International Booker award – and have thereby fulfilled the mission to bring voices from diverse corners of the world to a global audience, not as ambassadors of their geography but as storytellers in their own right. But many more have yet to do so. Ana Schnabl is a Slovenian novelist, editor and critic
South China Morning Post
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong Book Fair's central plot rightly remains love of reading
Hong Kong's annual book fair has a long and entertaining story of its own. The festival has come a long way in the 35 years since its launch. The first event, in 1990, featured 149 exhibitors and an attendance of 200,000. Now, the fair goes beyond its literary roots to offer a much bigger and broader celebration of art, culture and lifestyle. This can be seen in this year's theme , which promotes a healthy appetite for food as well as for books. This year, there are hopes the seven-day festival, one of the region's biggest, will attract more than a million visitors, beating last year's record of 990,000. There are 770 exhibitors from 30 countries and 620 events. The book fair is complemented by a Sports and Leisure Expo and World of Snacks fair. There is a World of Arts and Culture exhibition and a Cultural and Creative Products Zone. It offers much for local people and tourists to enjoy. But a love of literature rightly remains at the heart of the festival, which also offers a series of seminars featuring authors. Last year, each visitor spent an average of HK$912 (US$116), accounting for an impressive 74 per cent of their annual print book expenditure, according to a survey conducted by the organiser, the Trade Development Council. The fair has an important role to play in promoting the joy of reading, especially among the young, in this age of social media. It is always encouraging to see book lovers queuing up for the event even before the doors open. Some are devoted to science fiction, others to comics. Last year, it was good to see that novels topped the list of visitor favourites.
Al Bawaba
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
تعليم وتدريب وتوظيف
As part of its participation in the 66th Beirut Arab International Book Fair, AUB Press hosted an enriching panel discussion with Dr. Jokha Alharithi, renowned Omani novelist, moderated by student Rana Roukoz. The event was supported by the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Chair and organized in collaboration with the Center for Arts and Humanities at the American University of Beirut (AUB). The conversation highlighted Jokha Alharithi's literary and academic experience, as she was the first Arab writer to win the Man Booker International Prize for her novel Celestial ...
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Yahoo
Book fair to be held at garden in historic Wiltshire setting
Book lovers are invited to browse literary treasures at a summer book fair in a historic garden setting. Mompesson House, a National Trust property in Salisbury's Cathedral Close, will host the event in its garden on Saturday, July 5, from 11.30am to 3.30pm. Visitors can explore a curated selection of second-hand, vintage, and antiquarian books, all generously donated by supporters. Andrew Portas, visitor experience officer, said: "Find yourself a treasure from our wide range of books. Read more: Student's biker convoy to prom moves readers to tears "Whether you're looking to bag a first edition or something to while away the summer afternoons in the garden, we have a fabulous selection for you to browse." The day promises more than just books. Guests can enjoy a game of croquet on the lawn, relax on picnic blankets, and visit the tea room for cream teas, sandwiches, cakes, and ice cream. Normal garden admission applies at £1 for adults and 50p for children, which includes access to the garden, tea room, and second-hand bookshop. Mompesson House is open Friday to Tuesday, 11am to 4pm, with last entry at 3.30pm, until Sunday, November 2. The National Trust cares for more than 500 historic properties, including houses, gardens, and nature reserves across the UK.
CTV News
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Book worms and beer lovers reunite this Sunday at adult book fair in Halifax
Books and Brews is a book fair for adults, and Crystal Garrett gets all the details on the upcoming event. Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Books and Brews returns to the Propeller Arcade in Halifax Sunday. The event is billed as a book fair for adults – especially those craving the nostalgia and excitement of the Scholastic book fairs that may have visited their schools as children. Kydra Mayhew is one of the organizers of the event. She said there are books and trinkets available, just like a childhood bookfair, but elevated for adults to include interactive activities. 'And there's beer,' Mayhew said. There's also pinball and arcade games courtesy of the Propeller venue. Ashley Corbett is the owner of Cahier Stationary and Life Goods in Halifax and one of the vendors participating in the book fair. 'This is actually going to be our third time at Books and Brews,' she said. Corbett started her business as a pop-up shop before opening her brick-and-mortar store in April. She said she's excited to bring some stationary products to the book fair. Mayhew said thousands of people have shown up to previous events. 'We raise a lot of money for the community through these events as well,' she said. There's no admission fee for Books and Brews but it takes pay-what-you-can donations at the door for a different charity at each event. This Sunday proceeds will go to the Elizabeth Fry Society. 'Last year we raised over $3,000,' Mayhew said. Books and Brews takes place Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
