Book lovers to enjoy virtual festival of writing, reading and conversation across the globe in Literature Live Around the World
- Feminism in France, poetry from Kabul, new writing in Scotland – Friday’s 12-hour event staged by 12 literary festivals in 12 nations will cover a lot of ground
- Dave Eggers, Vendela Vida and Karl Ove Knausgard are among authors taking part in the event, which comes with reading having a revival in lockdowns
A whirlwind of literary inspiration will transport book lovers around the globe at the start of the Year of the Ox. On Friday, the first day of Lunar New Year festivities, “Literature Live Around the World”, co-sponsored by the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, will usher in an extraordinary day of writing, reading and conversation in 12 hours, give or take.
The event, which begins in Norway at 8pm Hong Kong time, is a 12-nation extravaganza that unites 12 international book festivals and many more novelists, poets and thinkers. Spanning events in places including Nigeria, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates, and topics including feminism in France, poetry from Kabul and new writing in Scotland, the epic half-day wraps up in Jamaica, where it will feature 10 writers performing live at the Calabash Festival on Treasure Beach.
Each segment will be introduced by a short video offering a survey of the country’s literary scene, and viewers will be able to submit questions for participating authors. For those unable to globe-trot for 12 hours straight, the programme will also be streamed free of charge on participating festivals’ websites until February 22.
Big-name highlights include Karl Ove Knausgard, who opens the event in Bergen, Norway, reading from his new novel The Morning Star, and American novelists Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, who will take the stage in San Francisco to discuss how the Bay Area has shaped their writing and commitment to fostering local talent.
The connection between art and place is one of Literature Live’s defining aspects; drawing attention to less celebrated cultural expressions is another. Australia’s contribution, Kim Scott, a novelist descended from the indigenous Noongar people of Western Australia, explores the intersection of Aboriginal identity and environmental concerns. Canada’s black poets perform in one of the day’s final events.
