Read and discuss works by contemporary German authors in this series hosted by the Goethe-Institut. All books can be read in recent English translation or in the German original; our discussion will be in English. Led by local German professor
Amanda Sheffer (The Catholic University of America), this book club focuses on contemporary fiction and will explore experiences and thoughts about the text.
City of Jasmine (Gott ist nicht schüchtern) by Olga Grjasnowa (2017, translated by Katy Derbyshire in 2019)
The story follows two characters whose lives are shaped by the Syrian War: a doctor and an actress. Each must face challenges in their home communities caused by the upheaval: political pressures as well as family challenges. The story humanizes a dramatic struggle into new countries and coping with the trauma of war.
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Olga Grjasnowa (1984-)
Olga Grjasnowa is a German author born in what is today Azerbaijan. As a refugee, Grjasnowa began learning German at 11 and studied Art History and Slavic before moving into creative writing. She won the Anna Seghers Prize in 2012
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