Writer and historian Doron Rabinovici visits the University of Kent in Canterbury on 31 May 2012 for a special day of literature events. The visit is organised by the University's Centre for Modern European Literature with support from the Austrian Cultural Forum and the Ingeborg Bachmann Centre for Austrian Literature.
Doron Rabinovici, writer and historian, was born in Tel Aviv in 1961 and has lived in Vienna since 1964. Published by Suhrkamp, his works examine the intricacies and heartaches of modern Jewish life. He began his career with the acclaimed collection of short stories Papirnik (1994); his most recent novel Andernorts (Elsewhere, 2009) was short-listed for the German Book Prize in 2010. It tells the story of successful Israeli academic Ethan Rosen – up for promotion, idolized by doting parents and recently swept off his feet by the woman of his dreams – who finds himself unwillingly drawn into a horrifying and seemingly insoluble clinch with a despised Austrian rival, Rudi Klausinger. No aspect of their professional or personal lives can ever remain the same.
In a translation workshop and a bi-lingual reading by the author, we will explore both of these texts, which revolve around the themes of remembrance and suffering, survival and love. Rabinovici is also a prominent public intellectual in Austria, author of insightful political essays on post-Holocaust Europe and its relationship to the Middle East - it promises to be an exciting, thought-provoking day.
3-5pm Translation Workshop (room tba): the author will be present to talk about Papirnik and the translation of the short stories from German into English. Rabinovici combines extended wordplay with strong, elegant storylines, presenting the translator with a challenging yet rewarding task. We will discuss existing English versions and (short) excerpts from as yet untranslated stories. Texts will be available in advance, including literal translations of German passages on request. All are welcome to attend.
7pm Bi-lingual Reading (room tba): Doron Rabinovici will read from Andernorts and a selection of other texts, followed by an open discussion with the audience.
Both events are free of charge. Those interested in attending the translation workshop should contact me in advance: D.C.Holmes@kent.ac.uk
