Among Czechs there has long been a high level of interest in Nordic literature. Our grandparents were eager to get their hands on the books of Knut Hamsun, Sigrid Undset and Selma Lagerlöf; they also went to the theatre to see the plays of Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg. The huge popularity of contemporary Nordic literature is due in no small part to the region’s celebrated crime fiction – Stieg Larsson, Jo Nesbø and Jussi Adler-Olsen are names known by a great many Czechs today.
The Book World Guest of Honour are in 2016 in frame of the campaign #ReadNordic the Nordic countries – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The aim of the guest of honour is to present current literary in Nordic literature and introduce us books written by authors coming to the fair.
The wide-ranging programme of discussions will be complemented with book signings, presentations, competitions, exhibitions, and events for children and gastronomes. Many events will be organized directly at the unique Nordic stand (S201) in the middle of the Central hall designed by students from Czech Technical University Markéta Rádková and Monika Fišerová.
Participating Nordic authors and experts are:
Norway: Jostein Gaarder, Jørn Lier Horst, Siri Pettersen, Nils Magne Knutsen.
Denmark: Kaspar Colling Nielsen, Kim Leine, Dorthe Nors, Kirsten Thisted.
Finland: Elina Hirvonen, Katja Kettu, Johanna Sinisalo, Antti Tuomainen.
Iceland: Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, Sjón.
Sweden: Majgull Axelsson, Lotta Lundberg, Bengt Pohjanen, Ulf Stark.
Discussions with writers will be held usually in Nordic languages and interpreted into Czech, in case of discussions with more than two Nordic writers, the common language will be English. Events without participation of Nordic guests will be held in Czech.
See the complete programme of the Guest of Honour here.
Read more about the campaign #Read Nordic.
NORLA will be at The Nordic Common Stand at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair. You’ll find us in Hall 3.1, stand B70.
The stand will also feature a new catalogue presenting a selection of new books from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands and Iceland available in German translation.
Nordic Reception: Thursday, 8 October, 17:00–18:30 at The Nordic Stand.
In collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in London, NORLA is hosting a special industry event highlighting contemporary Norwegian children’s and young adult literature on November 5.
The event will take place at the Norwegian Ambassador’s Residence.
Norway is Guest of Honour at this year’s Les Boréales festival in Normandy, taking place from 12–22 November.
A strong line-up of Norwegian authors will take part in the festival: Ingeborg Arvola, Martin Baldysz, Brit Bildøen, Thomas Enger, Jørn Lier Horst, Oliver Lovrenski, Aslak Nore, Lars Ramslie and Maria Navarro Skaranger.
During the festival, NORLA will also organise a translation seminar for students at the University of Caen on 17 November. The seminar will have a special focus on Brit Bildøen’s Gult farevarsel (Yellow Warning, Vigilance orange). Bildøen and her French translator Marina Heide will take part in the seminar, which is organized in close cooperation with the University.
The Norwegian Embassy in Paris is a partner in Norway’s Guest of Honour programme.