Event profile:- The guest is a gifted story-teller
and a world renowned author.
- Readings are concentrated andintense, lasting several hours.
- The author stays at Møn for up
to a week accompanied byher/his family.
Günter Grass was the first guest
in 2000. The renowned German
author contributed markedly tosetting a clear event profile fromthe very beginning. Until his
death in 2015 Grass was thenestor of World Literature on
the Isle of Møn in which hefrequently participated.
The festival was awarded
the 2016 Cultural Prize from
Lollands Bank and The municipality of Vordingborg for"creating an ambitious event
focusing on a sublime andunique meeting between author
and audience."
www.verdenslitteratur.dk
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GRAPHIC DESIGN: DESIGNMARK.DK

In 2009 the audience could meet one of
the most famous authors of the African
continent.
Ben Okri was born in Nigeria, lived
in London during his early childhoodand travelled back to Nigeria with hisfamily in 1968. Much of what he wrote
in his early life explores the politicalviolence he witnessed as a child during
the civil war in Nigeria - known as the
Biafran war.
Later he went back to London withfinancial support from the Nigerian
government to study literature andto write.
He published his first novel in 1980
and has later become internationallyknown, often described as one of
Africa's major authors.
His novels contain a rich world of
spirituality and mysterious layers which
greatly enhance the readers
understanding.

Haruki Murakami was born in Kyoto
in 1949. During a sports event in 1974
he was inspired to write his first novel.
The same year he opened the Peter Cat
jazz bar in Tokyo.
The novel "Hear the Wind Sing" waspublished in 1979. In 1982 he wasawarded his first literary prize for“A Wild Sheep Chase”.
His breakthrough which included
Europe came in 1987 with the
publication of “Norwegian Wood”.
It was filmed in 2011.
In his three volume masterpiece“IQ84” Murakami draws on all thethemes in his electrifying authorship.
It has become a world success.
“This is a novel about dark andhidden memories, about relations
between art and mathematics, about sex,
death and softball, and not the least
about relations between the Japaneseand authority.” Kim Skotte of theDanish newspaper Politiken, 2011.
Furthermore, Murakami translates
from American, he has lectured at
Princeton University and he is anotable debater in the media in Japan.

Denmark/Norway

12

Born in Oslo in 1968. Knausgård was
the first debutant ever to win the
Norwegian Critics Prize for Literaturefor his novel “Out of the World”. His
second novel “A Time for Everything”
was nominated for the Nordic Council's
Literature prize in 2004. The first
volume of his great work “My Struggle”
was published in 2009 to be followedby five further volumes whereby hefulfilled his ambition of writing a fullsix volume work within a two year
period. The work is an immensely
detailed description of the author's life
intermingled with exciting essays andpersonal considerations. The story ends
in volume six when contemporary time
falls in with the story, which is August
2011 in Denmark.
This extremely well-written work
consisting of almost 4,000 pages has
been discussed vehemently andtranslated to several languages. A large
public has been attracted to thefrankness and crucial sincerity ofKnausgård's writing.

"The key aspects of the event are experience,
concentration and high quality."

Mikhail Shishkin
Russia13

Kim Leine was born in Norway in 1961
and moved to Denmark at the age of
17. He worked as a professional nurse
in Greenland for 15 years. In 2004
he returned to Denmark where he had
his author's debut with the passionate
autobiographical novel “Kalak” (which
actually means “that fucking
Greenlander”).
The like-wise well-written novel“Tunu” is also based on life inGreenland. It was acclaimed by thepress.
In 2012 Leine published his great
novel “The Prophets of Eternal Fjord”,
a well-composed story of life andreligious fanaticism in Greenland in the
1700s. This is the author's masterpiece, at least up to now, a milestone in
Danish literature and so emphatic that“you want to shield yourself from fire
and ice, scratch your wig for teeming
lice and shudder at the stench of rancid
blubber and reeking flour”
as Klaus Rothstein of the newspaper“Weekendavisen” expresses himself. It
is the author's extensive knowledge ofGreenland and his deep-felt emotions
for life and history of that great landthat made it possible for him to delve
into its colonial history of the 1780s.
He tells a powerful and sensuous story
based on incarnate and awful reality.

Tomas Espedal
Norway14

Mikhail Shishkin was born in Moscow
in 1961 and is the author of a number ofmajor novels. In 2000 he won the
Russian Booker Prize for ”The Takingof Izmail”. In 2005 he was awarded the
National Bestseller Prize for ”Maidenhair”
and in 2006 the prestigious ”Bolshaya
Kniga” (Big Book) prize for it as well.
”Maidenhair” has been published in
more than 40 languages.
Next to come out was ”The Light andthe Dark” in 2011, which has been soldto more than 20 countries. ”Maidenhair”
is a convincing novel, which switcheswith effortless ease for the author but notfor the reader between various stories,
times and styles: a personally experienced
story of love and suffering, a famous
female singer's fictitious diary and muchmore. Though philosophical, mythologicaland poetical ”Maidenhair” is a richly
facetted narrative with great innerintensity and many changes of pace.
Shishkin's own opinion of the novel:“This is a book about the simplest things,
without them life is unthinkable.
Maidenhair is a species of grass, a turf,
which is a weed in the superficial city ofRome whilst in Russia it is an indoor
plant which cannot survive without ahuman’s warmth. I wrote this novel in
Switzerland, France and Rome. It is
typically Russian, but at the same time it
exceeds the borders of the Russian world
as there is not sufficient room withinthem. Russia is just a fraction of almighty
God’s world.”

Eugen Ruge
Germany

15

With his personal and poetic books
Tomas Espedal has undertaken a revision of the technique of novel writing.
With a starting point in his own life hewrites novels which lean on genres like
autobiographies, poetry, short stories,
essays, travelogues and diaries.
“Tramp – Or the Art of Living a Wild
and Poetic Life” from 2006 is an autobiographical novel about going – goingaway from home, going to the dogs,
going mad, going to the end of theworld; he does all that.
With his supreme style of writing
and his feeling for language Espedal isable to hold the attention of the reader
whether he is writing about going,
related authors in literary history or
watching rose petals decay.
Just like the novel “Tramp” the novel“Against Art” shows Espedal as a
gifted writer, who with himself at stake
writes inspiring and compelling books
about being a human, a wanderer andan author.
Tomas Espedal has published bothnovels and anthologies of short stories.
He promoted the Bergen International
Festival of Poetry. His novels “Tramp Or the Art of Living a Wild and Poetic
Life” (2006) and “Against Art” (2009)
and “Bergeners” (2014), have all been
nominated for the Nordic Council's
Literary Prize.

David Grossman
Israel16

With his writing Eugen Ruge takes hisplace as part of a rich tradition as anindependent, critical profile: He is themelancholic; the historian of a dying
culture. He creates complex humanportraits filled with inner conflict.
Eugen Ruge was born in the Ural
Mountains in Western Russia andstudied mathematics in Berlin. Before
leaving the GDR in 1988 he madedocumentaries for the state owned DEFA
Studio. Since 1989 he has been writing
for the theatre and several televisioncompanies and he regularly teaches at
the Berlin University of the Arts.
”Eugen Ruge portrays East German
history in a family saga. He manages toarticulate the experiences of four
generations over fifty years into a
dramatically refined composition.
In ”In Times of Fading Light” he tells
the story of the socialist utopia, the price
it demands of the individual, and its
gradual extinction. At the same time it
is a deeply humorous novel. Eugen Ruge
was awarded the Deutscher Buchpreis in
2011.
In ”In Times of Fading Light”
the warmth of Ruge’s approach to his
characters shines through as he allows
the reader access to their innermost
thoughts and feelings. The result is a
deeply human story of precious
memories, of disappointments andfrustrations, and of lives in various
stages of decline.” (The Dublin Review)

Judith Hermann
Germany

17

FOTO: ANDREAS LABES, BERLIN

11

Kim Leine

FOTO: KLAUS HOLSTING / LOUISIANA LITERATURE

NorwayPHOTO: LENE K

10Karl Ove Knausgård

PHOTO: HELGE SKODVIN

Japan

FOTO: YVONNE BÖHLER

09

Haruki Murakami

PHOTO: ANNE-SOPHIE FISCHER KALCKAR

Nigeria

PHOTO: BERRIT ROALDBen Okri

FOTO: PER FOLKVER

World Literatureon the Isle of Møn.
The annual event started
in 2000 in collaboration with
the Theatre Folk High School
Rødkilde with
Marianne Hiort-Lorenzen of
the Møn Library as organizer.
Since 2007, events have takenplace at Fanefjord Skovpavillon
within the organisational framework of the World Literature
Society of the Isle of Møn.

FOTO: LENE K

2000 - 2017

2_Verdenslitt_ENG_22s_2017_VerdenslittENG_22s_2017 12/07/17 07.42 Side 1

David Grossman (born 1954) is one of
Israel´s most prominent writers. His
books have been translated into morethan 30 languages.
He was awarded The Man Booker
International Prize in 2017 for his
latest novel ”A Horse Walks Into aBar”, which was called "magnificently
comic and sucker-punch-tragic" by NY
Times. Nick Barley, director of The
Man Booker International Prize calledit "an ambitious high-wire act of anovel", which "shines a spotlight on theeffects of grief, without any hint ofsentimentality."
Grossman is an outspoken left-wing
peace activist and a harsh critic ofIsraeli politics toward the Palestinians.
The novel "To the End of the Land"is a chronicle of the modern Israelifamily. It tells the story of a mother who
leaves her home in order to avoid thearmy "notifiers" who might arrive to
inform her of the death of her son.
While he was writing it, Grossman's
son was killed in the 2006 war in
Lebanon. The Guardian praised thenovel as one of the best ever written in
Hebrew.
Grossman studied philosophy andtheatre in Jerusalem, where he still
lives. He has served in the army andhas been working for Israel's national
radio.

Judith Hermann (born 1970) studied
German language and philosophy in
Berlin.
With her debut "Summerhouse,
Later" in 1998 she reintroduced theshort story in German literature,
inspired by a stay in New York, while
studying journalism.
In 2016 her latest book of shortstories "Lettipark" was published.
She has been awarded numerous
literary prizes, including the Kleist
Prize and the Friedrich Hölderlin Prize.
The short story "Coal" is important to
the reading of Lettipark, since its
ending contains a Christian motive,
something new to the writing ofHermann. "Coal" takes place in the
countryside. A group of people areshifting seven tons of coal for the
winter into a shed. Vincent, an orphanboy, aged 4, shows up and the action isswitching from the coal shed to memories of the boy’s dead mother. Vincent
helps the group loading the coal. "We
took the coal from his little dirty hands
as if they were hosts". Love is steady in
Lettipark.
The first and only novel by Judith
Hermann "Where Love Begins" is outstanding and mysterious. The title may
make you think: Finally a serious lovestory! This is not a recipe on how a loveaffair might begin, rather than how it
always begins..

JudithHermann

World
Literatureon the Isle of
Møn
2000 - 2017

2_Verdenslitt_ENG_22s_2017_VerdenslittENG_22s_2017 12/07/17 07.42 Side 2

Saturday programme:
12 noon - 1 pm: Lunch can bepurchased prior to the event.
Orders to Fanefjord Skovpavillon
Phone 0045 5581 7367
This meal cannot be purchased
through the ticketoffice.

Günter Grass was the nestor ofWorld Literature on the Isle of Møn
from 2000 to 2015.

2 - 5 pm: Judith Hermann discusses
her works with the journalist
Steen Bille and reads passages fromher books.
5.30 - 7 pm: Buffet
Sunday programme:
12 noon - 1.45 pm: Lunch
booked through the ticketoffice.
2 - 5 pm: Judith Hermann talks
about her works with author
Kristina Stoltz as moderator.
Translation by Steen Bille.
Both days the author will sign her
books from 5 - 5.30 pm.
The language both days will be
German, which will be translated
continuously to Danish. Questions
may be raised in Danish or English
and will be answered in Danish or
English.

Tickets and prices:www.billetlugen.dk
Tickets can be purchased incl. or
excl. tickets for the meals. Lunch on
Saturday: see above.
NB: Packed lunches not permitted.
Beverages to be purchased on the
spot.
Organizer:
The World Literature Societyof the Isle of Møn.
Info, newsletter and application
for membership:
www.verdenslitteratur.dk.
Curator:Marianne Hiort-Lorenzen
Project coordinator:
Thomas Gunnar Bagge

The Norwegian author had alreadyas a young man written several remarkable novels. First came “The Falcon
Tower”, an adventure novel about
man's secret intrigues. Following thiscame the important novel “Psalm to a
Journey's End” about the Titanic, but
told from the perspective of the musicians who played right until they disappeared under the waves. Just as powerful, the latest book, “Tales ofProtection”, has been translated into
numerous languages, including Danish.
With “Tales of Protection” Fosnes has
become one of Europe's newest andmost important writers.

World Literature on the Isle of Møn
searches every year for the great,
powerful and poetic author somewherein the world. In 2002 the choice fell
upon the Icelandic writer, Einar Már
Gudmundsson. Throughout his writing
career he lets us, as readers or
listeners, experience the poetic, thewild, the harsh and the graceful. As
one of the enthusiastic critics wrote:”Einar Már Gudmundsson can really doit. With his pen he captures the space
between the world and everything else.
The gravity extends and shifts, which
can send streams of poetry and lightness
through even the heaviest and mostpainful experiences.”

Yours sincerely
Günter Grass

World Literature on the Isle of Møn

South Africa

04

Henning Mankell has pursued two
significant themes in his writing career:
his crime novels and his African
inspired writings.
The whole world awaits with great
anticipation each thrilling crime novel.
As a tourist, in Ystad, you can actuallyfollow in the footsteps of his character
inspector Wallander! The well constructed crime novels about Kurt Wallander
are inspired by Mankell's interpretationof violence, power, importance, goodand evil. These novels soon madeHenning Mankell a familiar namethroughout the world.
The string of African-inspired novels
is the other theme to Mankell's writing
output. The very fascinating andenthralling novels emerge from
Mankell's personal experience living
in Africa. The novel, “Daniel”, is afantastic example - a tale of a Kalahari
boy's bizarre and difficult destiny……in Sweden!

Ib Michael
Denmark05

Dear Marianne:
Møn remains a wonderfully textured
image in my mind. The beautiful
gardens in which the gathering took
place (in perfect weather!), theenthusiasm and active interest of thecrowd and the interaction with them,the stimulation and friendliness of thepeople, the sense of celebration thatmade the occasion memorable. And thefew days my companion and I spent in
idyllic circumstances in our small
castle at the edge of the sea - the drives
across the island to visit villages andnumerous picturesque historicalchurches, the sumptuous food, the long
lingering dark-green evenings, thelively quality of the library, the soundsof birds, the feeling of a long history
gently infusing every day with fuller
meaning… all of this ensures that as aliterary occasion and as an encounter
with people inspired by books andreading and a deep appreciation of life,that visit will remain one of my mostprecious memories. I've been to
Denmark many times over the years,
but this special island meant that forme the country will never be the sameagain.
Warmest greetings,
AndréAmos Oz
Israel06“What I brought with me from that day,was the experience of many people,
sharing something we all had incommon which was the love of all the
fantastic books that exist in the world.
The beautiful room, the uniqueatmosphere, the light from the lovely
surroundings and attentive faces, likepearls on a string.
As a writer, you feel comfortable
talking to the audience in the moment
when you get understood as a reader
who also writes books. First of all it is
the joy you share, the joy of a joint
identification. A special surge of energy
was created in the room, which madetime stand still and words flow. In thatsense we are all standing on eachother's shoulders, attempting to get a
glimpse of the land of milk and honey.”

Kerstin Ekman
Sweden07

In 2005, Amos Oz wrote the book
“Tales of Love and Darkness”, a grandnovel based on rich and unusual autobiographical experiences. As soon as it
was published, it was recognized as oneof the world's major pieces of literature;
a warm and wise novel about life in the
new Israel.
The novel made a great impression
on critics all over the world. The Italiannewspaper, Republica wrote: “If you
only have two days left to live, one of
the things you must do, if you want todie happy, is to read this book”.
It is a grand novel about Oz's own
family, the history of the Jewish people
and about the emerging state of Israel.

Fay Weldon
England08

FOTO: W. J. A. BAKER

03

André Brink

PHOTO: CATO LEINE

SwedenPHOTO: JERRY BAUER

Seats are numbered.

02

Henning Mankell

Iceland

PHOTO: SIGURD BO BOJESEN

Venue: Fanefjord Skovpavillon
Address: Fanefjord Skovvej 6,
DK-4792 Askeby, Denmark.
(By the Baltic Sea coast on the Isleof Møn, south-east Denmark)

PHOTO: SIGURD BO BOJESEN

Time:
The 23rd and 24th of September 2017

In 2000 Günter Grass wrote:
Dear Marianne Hiort-Lorenzen
I still very clearly remember the greathonour that was bestowed on me when I
was given the opportunity to be the firstto open the literary gathering ”World
Literature on the Isle of Møn”.
In spite of the inclement weather it
was still feasible to conduct rewarding
talks with members of the audience inthe park of the old Folk High School.
But, as soon as I ask myself what
I actually talked about or gave readings
from, my memory fails me. However,I probably read some stories out of mybook “My Century”, which at that time
had just been published.
In my mind I keep on remembering
the wonderful Roma-musicians. I have
met them at literary gatherings in
distant countries, even in Portugal.
I attended the later gatherings asoften as my time-schedule permitted
me and had the pleasure of meetingsome colleagues such as Erik Fosnes
Hansen, Henning Mankell and Amos
Oz. In the days after the gatherings all
three of them visited me in our country
cottage in Ulvshale on Møn.
The gatherings on the Isle of Møn are
unforgettable memories. It is my hopefor you, dear Marianne Hiort-Lorenzen,
and for us writers that the tradition ofliterary gatherings on Møn willcontinue to take place.
In the long run, books enable us tobreak through our limitations and open
the world to our readers.

01

Einar Már Gudmundsson

PHOTO: VLM

www.verdenslitteratur.dk

NorwayPHOTO: SIGURD BO BOJESEN

00Erik Fosnes Hansen

PHOTO: OLE KRAGH-SØRENSEN

Germany

PHOTO: ØISTEIN NORUM MONSEN

Info:

Günter Grass“I already knew from the book fairs,that the Danish readers were interested,but I never imagined listeners to be as
patient as during that long afternoon at
The Theatre Folk High School at
Rødkilde. As a writer, it was a great
experience for me to meet the readersduring this long and uninterrupted
time, readers who didn't let theirinterest in the books flag.
The programme with music and speech
was so well chosen and well assembled.
I remember this day with great joy, butalso the days that followed at the sea
and at the forest at Møns Klint. From
Møn, we brought home the light and thevast sky. They live on in our memory.”“I've been to many festivals in mywriting life: all have a different identity.
Møn's is one of the best, and mostmemorable. The island is beautiful andnuminous: the ancients surely lived
here. The festival attracts a dedicatedand knowledgeable audience from allover the world, whom neither rain nor
storm deters. Then when the sun shines
and the festival-goers eventually andreluctantly depart, you find yourself ina working landscape by-passed by themodern world. The island feels remote,yet the glittering reality of Copenhagenis only a couple of hours drive away.
For the guest, there is privacy andcompany, the opportunity for work andleisure, and in the host a realawareness of the needs both of culture
at large and the artist in particular.
It feels a privilege to be invited - and if
only temporarily, that you actuallydeserve to be there. Could a writer ask
for more?
Some festivals you grudge, as
valuable time lost to a writing life, but
not the one at Møn's.“