Leipzig Book Fair, German-speaking cities hosting Georgian authors
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The eastern German city of Leipzig is hosting over 20 Georgian authors about to present their books to German-speaking readers at the country’s second-largest book fair launching on Wednesday.
Literature enthusiasts in the city will meet 23 contemporary writers from Georgia over the next four days, in a recognition of the country’s status of Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the largest literary event, later this year.
Writers including Aka Morchiladze, Diana Anphimiadi, Nino Kharatishvili, Zurab Rtveliashvili and Zurab Karumidze will be involved in the events, with over 20 new translations of Georgian books to be unveiled.
Authors Zaza Burchuladze (second from left) and Nino Kharatishvili (third from left) meeting German-speaking literary enthusiasts. Photo: Georgian National Book Centre.
With the addition of seven other cities in German-speaking countries, 27 Georgian authors are being involved in 50 literature events throughout March. The locations beside Leipzig are Berlin, Cologne, Halle, Frankfurt, Vienna and Salzburg.
A high-ranking cultural delegation of Georgia to the fair presented the country’s program for the event and in the run-up to the Frankfurt fair this week.
At the Leipzig Book Fair we announced [the beginning of] our literary odyssey with the participation of Georgian authors, who are set to travel to seven [German-speaking] cities.”
I am sure that meetings with [local] readers will prove very interesting for [these writers]”, Medea Metreveli, Director of the Georgian National Book Centre, told Imedi TV reporters in Leipzig.
Aka Morchiladze (centre) presented German translation of his celebrated work 'Journey to Karabakh' in Leipzig. Photo: Georgian National Book Centre.
Authors involved in the program encompassing German-speaking cities also shared their expectations of the literary meetings and book presentations.
Award-winning writer Nino Kharatishvili told the TV channel she had "great hopes” she and her fellow participants would "use the chance” to introduce Georgian literature to new readers.
The roster of selected authors includes Naira Gelashvili, who became the first Georgian writer to be selected for the lit.COLOGNE International Festival of Literature, a major event in the German city, on March 14.
She presented her book I’m Leaving for Madrid, translated and published in German this year by Verbrecher Verlag, to international media in Cologne.
The stall of Georgian literature at the Leipzig Book Fair. Photo: Georgian National Book Centre.
Gelashvili and Kharatishvili are flanked in the line-up by authors including Aka Morchiladze, Diana Anphimiadi, Zurab Rtveliashvili and Zurab Karumidze.
In total, 29 cities in German-speaking countries will be hosting around 450 literary events involving Georgian authors and their books in the run up to the Frankfurt Book Fair, which will run between October 10-14.
Georgia took over as the Guest of Honour of the Frankfurt event from France last year.
A defining novel by Georgia’s celebrated late author and musician Irakli Charkviani will be made available to readers in German to mark the focus on the country at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair.
Georgia is officially launching a year-long program of literary activities and events in the German-speaking world, dedicated to the country’s status as the Guest of Honour at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair in fall.
Award-winning author Aka Morchiladze will become the first Georgian writer to have their work pitched at a literary section of the upcoming Cannes Film Festival this spring.
German-based Georgian author Nino Kharatishvili has been honoured with another award for her acclaimed work The Eighth Life (for Brilka), after she was announced as winner of the prominent Bertolt Brecht Prize for Literature.
Book enthusiasts in London can get an impression of some of the latest Georgian literature at next month’s London Book Fair at an updated booth hosting two exhibitors.
The renowned French writer will be hosted by Georgian modern author Archil Kikodze during the three days of his visit.
Literary critics have awarded Georgian author Zaza Burchuladze and translator Natia Mikeladze-Bakhsoliani for bringing the popular novel A Tourist’s Breakfast to German-speaking readers.
Late Georgian author Rezo Cheishvili’s celebrated story Blue Mountains is in the shortlist for a public vote on Hotlist 2018, a major literature prize in German-speaking countries.
Award-winning Georgian author Nino Kharatishvili’s brand-new novel The Cat and the General has been nominated for this year’s German Book Prize, a high-profile award held ahead of the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Acclaimed Georgian author, translator and Germanist Naira Gelashvili has been selected as the recipient of this year’s Givi Margvelashvili German-Georgian Culture Award, honouring her literary work in bringing the two cultures closer.
Titles by Georgian authors and publishers from the country are set to be introduced to readers in Europe as major book fairs in London and Leipzig host literature fans this month.
Georgian poet and artist Zurab Rtveliashvili, celebrated for his performances in Sweden where he had gained asylum in 2010, died in a Tbilisi clinic on Tuesday after a month-long illness at age 54.