Home Event Listings Literature 5th European Literature Days in Hanoi

5th European Literature Days in Hanoi

Posted on 24/04/2015

07 – 10 May 2015
Goethe Institut, L’Espace, Casa Italia
See detailed program below

Following the success of recent years EUNIC, the association of European cultural institutions and embassies, presents for the fifth time the European Literature Days in Hanoi. Literature enthusiasts can look forward to readings and workshops as well as an unusual Comic Concert and compelling short films. From crime novels through short stories to children’s books, there is something for readers of all ages. The coordination for this year’s event has been undertaken by the Institute Français – L’Espace.

Eight European countries – Denmark, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Israel, Poland and Sweden – will present works which have recently been published in Vietnamese, in collaboration with several major publishers.

Picture Books, illustrations and Comics: The Power of Images

This year, the focus of European Literature Days is the interplay between image and word, in comics and children’s books.

Sweden celebrates the freckled redhead Pippi Longstocking with a party in honor of her 70th birthday, featuring readings, painting and crafts. And it’s not only the Swedes who are putting young readers in the focus of this year’s European Literature Days: British author Jasper Fforde explores new territory with his detective novels for children and young people – and he will personally come to Hanoi at the invitation of the British Council to meet to his young readers here. The adventures of a giant pear are at the center of the fantasy story of the Dane Jakob Martin Strid. And the Italian children’s book was also inspired by culinary delights: the mouse Geronimo Stilton lives on an island made of cheese. At the invitation of the Goethe Institute, children’s book author Annette Köhn tells stories in her playful comic about the little dragon Leto, who finds new friends in Vietnam. The award-winning German children’s book “Rico, Oskar und das Herzgebreche” tells of two unlikely friends and their adventures. Françoize Boucher takes on the world of young people in her humorous books, presented by L’Espace.

Readings, Classics and New Releases

The Israeli bestselling author Etgar Keret is a guest at the opening night of Literature Days. He presents two short films and reads from his short stories, which are now also available in Vietnamese. This will be followed by a reading with Le Chuc presenting one of the most famous novels of psychological literature, “The Trial” by Franz Kafka. Reading pleasure of a special kind is offered with the novel “Other Pleasures” by Polish author Jerzy Pilch, while the book “Lettera ad un bambino mai nato” by the Italian author Oriana Fallaci provides food for thought. Literature Days will close at the Goethe Institute with the comic artist Reinhard Kleist doing live drawing to a concert of the music of legendary country singer Johnny Cash. More illustrations and comics by Reinhard Kleist can be seen in the exhibition that opens on the same evening at the Goethe-Institut.

The extensive program is complemented by bookstands of the publishers in the Goethe-Institut, in which many books will be available at special prices. There is also an exhibition of new books from Germany at the Goethe Institute in cooperation with the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Literature Days Program at a Glance

Thursday, 07 May

5 pm
Goethe-Institut: Opening of European Literature Days and presentation of the program with authors and press.

5:30 pm
Goethe-Institut: Presentation of two short films by Israeli author Etgar Keret followed by a reading from his short story collection.

6:45 pm
Goethe-Institut: Reading from the Vietnamese translation of Franz Kafka’s “The Trial” by actor Chuc Le, introduction by Dinh Tuan Anh.

Friday, 08 May

9 am
Goethe-Institut: Reading followed by a discussion of “Mystery and detective fiction for children – an untouched land” by British author Jasper Fforde.

3 pm
L‘Espace: Book presentation “Other Pleasures” by Polish author Jerzy Pilch.

3 pm
Goethe-Institut: Discussion “How contemporary society is reflected in short stories and novels”. With Etgar Keret and Jasper Fforde.

5 pm
L’Espace: Book reviews of works by Françoize Boucher with the respective translators, publishers and experts.

Saturday, 09 May

L’Espace: Beginning of the exhibition “L’école des loisirs autour du monde”.

9 am
L’Espace: Discussion on the topic illustration for children’s book with Annette Köhn, Thuy Com and Ta Huy Long.

2:30 pm
Goethe-Institut: Reading of the story “The Adventure of the Giant Pear” followed by activities for children.

2:30 pm
Casa d’Italia: Book launch of the Vietnamese first edition of “Lettera ad un bambino mai nato” by Oriana Fallaci.

3:30 pm
Goethe-Institut: “Leto – A Trip to Halong Bay” – In a playful interactive reading, Annette Köhn shows children how a German dragon discovers Vietnam.

4:30 pm
Goethe-Institut: Book launch of “Rico, Oskar und das Herzgebreche” (award-winning children’s book), in which two unlikely friends experience exciting adventures.

Sunday, 10 May

2 pm
L’Espace: Reading for children of different age groups in the exhibition “L’école des loisirs autour du monde” in the Mediathek (registration required).

2:30 pm
Casa d’Italia: Reading from the successful children’s book “Geronimo Stilton”, now published for the first time in Vietnam.

4:30 pm
Goethe-Institut: Children can celebrate the 70th anniversary of the world-famous Swedish children’s book character Pippi Longstocking at “Pippi’s Birthday Party”.

7 pm
Goethe-Institut: Comic-Concert with Reinhard Kleist, in which the artist does live drawing to the music of Johnny Cash.

The complete program brochure is available at all participating institutions and on Goethe’s website in PDF format.

Languages: German, English, French, Vietnamese

Free Admission.