Welcome to a presentation of Norwegian literature on Tuesday 23 September and to a poetry marathon on Thursday 25 September in connection with the 37th Book Festival in Athens.
Tribute to Cross-cultural dialogue
2008 has been declared the European year of intercultural dialogue by the European Commission. The 37th Book Festival is dedicated to this theme. The Norwegian Embassy and the Norwegian Institute together with, among others, the embassies and institutes of Denmark, Finland, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Poland have joined this dialogue by participating with presentations of their countries' literature.
Erlend Loe and Erik Fosnes Hansen are two of Norway's finest and most celebrated novelists. On Tuesday 23 September at 19:00, passages from their books Psalm at Journey's End and
Naïve.Super will be read in their Greek translation by actor Konstantinos Themelis at the Festival's event kiosk at Dionysiou Areopagitou. An introduction will be held by the Director of the Norwegian Institute Dr. Panos Dimas.
Naïve.Super is Loe's second novel, and was his great break-through in 1996. According to reviewers: «Erlend Loe will rouse at least as much interest in philosophical matters among his readers as Jostein Gaarder.» Naïve.Super. Kritiki publications. Translation by Fani Boubouli.
Psalm at Journey's End by Erik Fosnes Hansen describes in interwoven stories the lives of the orchestra's musicians that end their lives at the luxury liner Titanic that sank in 1912. The book appeared in 1990 and became a big success.
Psalm at Journey's End. Psychogios publications.Translation by Maria Angelidou.
On Thursday 25 September at 19:00, actor Konstantinos Themelis will present poetry from over 10 European countries at the Festival's event kiosk at Dionysiou Areopagitou.
From Norway you will listen to poems by André Bjerke, Paal Brekke and Marie Takvam from the poetry collection Norwegian poets 1900-1985. Presentation and translation by Giorgos Christogiannis.