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5:30 PM

Among Friends: On the Road @ Houston, TX

Reading and Talk|Two German authors in the U.S.

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On the Road © Ricardo Roa

Unterwegs 2300 x 1000 © Ricardo Roa

As part of the Goethe-Institut’s ON THE ROAD project, two authors from Germany – Sonali Beher and Iven Yorick Fenker, both students at the German Institute for Literature Leipzig – travel along the East Coast of the United States from New York to Florida and then to Texas. Along the way, they engage with diverse audiences through readings, discussions, and conversations held in a range of venues: bookstores, schools, libraries, universities, businesses, and more. Throughout their journey, the authors share their impressions in real time: through notes, essays, and visual content for social media and websites.

Sonali Beher and Iven Yorick Fenker will present their work at the Goethe-Institut Houston. The evening will feature readings in English and German, followed by a conversation moderated by Dr. Fatima Baig, lecturer for German at Rice University. Join us for an engaging literary evening that explores themes of identity, culture, and transatlantic exchange — with time for questions, discussion, and connection. 

ON THE ROAD/ UNTERWEGS is a distinctive literary initiative designed to revitalize the transatlantic partnership for a new generation and to deepen cultural exchange between Germany and the United States. In collaboration with the German Institute for Literature Leipzig, this project celebrates the power of storytelling across borders. It is held under the esteemed patronage of Professor Dr. Ulrike Draesner.

Route

New York (New York) - Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) - Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) - West Chester (Pennsylvania) - Washington (District of Columbia) - Front Royal (Virginia) - Charlotte (North Carolina) - Atlanta (Georgia) - Athens (Georgia) - Orlando (Florida) - Miami (Florida) - Houston (Texas). Please note that the route may be subject to change.

About the participants

Sonali Beher

Author

Sonali Beher, born in 1997 in Gießen, Germany, studied English and Political Science in Heidelberg before beginning her studies in Literary Writing at the German Institute for Literature Leipzig in 2023. Alongside her academic work, she supports NGOs dedicated to strengthening democracy. Beher writes across genres, including prose, essays, poetry, and dramatic texts, with a focus on how the personal and political intersect. Her writing often explores themes such as German identity, womanhood, and labor. In 2024, her short play Mensch mit Kopf was staged at the Kabinetttheater in Vienna, Austria.

As part of the ON THE ROAD project, Sonali Beher and Iven Yorick Fenker travel across the United States in the fall of 2025. Throughout their journey, they share regular updates in the form of notes, in-depth texts, and visual content documenting their experiences.

Iven Yorick Fenker

Author

Iven Yorick Fenker, born in 1994, grew up in the Harz region of Germany, an area once divided by the inner-German border and often the setting for his writing. His work explores themes of masculinity, fascism, football, and love. He is currently studying at the German Institute for Literature Leipzig and works as a writer, filmmaker, and journalist, contributing to outlets such as DIE ZEIT in Berlin. His text Dornen Donner Stoßgebet was nominated for the “Wortmeldungen Förderpreis” award. His film die kastanie was screened at several festivals and won the Youth Jury Prize at the Vienna Shorts in 2025.

As part of the ON THE ROAD project, Iven Yorick Fenker and Sonali Beher travel across the United States in the fall of 2025. Throughout their journey, they share regular updates in the form of notes, in-depth texts, and visual content documenting their experiences.

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