Festivals

Watch a round of "literary speed-dating" between six German-language authors and six students of German literature. Sparks will fly. The authors are Pedro Lenz, author of Der Goalie bin ig, Xaver Bayer, Sibylle Berg, Iris Hanika, Vea Kaiser, and Christopher Kloeble. This is the kickoff event for the Festival Neue Literatur, which runs until Sunday.

From Festival Neue Literatur: Join Festival Neue Literatur in an intimate conversation about literature in translation with NYC’s celebrated literary editors, translators, and writers. If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite book from abroad arrived at your local bookstore and in our cultural consciousness, join us for a snapshot into this fascinating journey narrated by the people who have made…

As though we weren't depressed enough, the folks at Festival Neue Literatur bring Nietzsche into the mix: Nietzsche says that humans alone laugh because we alone suffer so deeply that we had to invent laughter. How do writers use humor in their work to confront, navigate and come to terms with pain, trauma and crisis? What roles can literary humor…

Pedro Lenz Xaver Bayer, Sibylle Berg, Iris Hanika, Vea Kaiser, and Christopher Kloeble will give a sampling of their work with the help of some local actors. Come for the writing, stay for the snacks.

Let's talk humor. The Festival Neue Literatur, with Vea Kaiser, Christopher Kloeble, Pedro Lenz and Jenny Offill bring you this conversation: Wry, mordant, acerbic, irreverent, witty, devastating, redemptive: There are so many adjectives to describe different sorts of humor in literature. And in conveying the funny or absurd aspects of human predicaments and relationships, writers can also illuminate profound truths.…