Gesa Stedman takes a look back at trends and developments which dominated the literary field in the UK in 2018. While non-fiction was on the up, fiction was less important Read more
The Death of Gentlemanly Publishing: Obituary for Editor Diana Athill
Gesa Stedman laments the death of editor Diana Athill, and explains gentlemanly publishing – a concept unknown to younger 21st-century readers. 20th-century-style publishing died its final death recently, Read more
A Moving Tribute to a Creative Life: Judith Kerr’s Creatures. A Celebration of Her Life and Work
Gesa Stedman reviews Judith Kerr’s illustrated autobiography and finds inspiration in it. The book was published in German to coincide with the author’s 95th birthday. For German readers, Judith Kerr is best known for her novel When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, an autobiographical novel for older children about the Kerr […] Read more
“Quite groggy and very happy”: An account of the first months in the Literaturhaus under the new dual leadership of Janika Gelinek and Sonja Longolius
Gesa Stedman and Sandra van Lente asked the two new directors of the Literaturhaus in an interview about their experiences with the Literaturhaus’ new concept: whether it has worked so far to engage the whole house in Fasanenstraße in their events, to open up their focus to incorporate European literature […] Read more
Do We Need Copyright? Part V of a Review of Tim Parks’ Where I’m Reading From
Gesa Stedman takes Tim Parks to task again and explores the intricacies of copyright with him. While she applauds how Parks widens the perspective, she is sceptical whether copyright should be considered unnecessary. Copyright has a history. It is not god-given, or EU-invented Read more
Writing Europe 1918-2018 – Public Reading with Kathrin Schmidt, Rachel Seiffert, Linor Goralik and Cécile Wajsbrot
How has Writing Europe changed from the aftermath of World War I to 2018? What did classic writers of the early 20th-century have to say about Europe just after the war? And how do four writers from Read more
E-Books Are For Grown-ups? Review of Tim Parks, Where I’m Reading From, Part IV
In the fourth instalment of her multi-part review of Tim Parks’ essay collection Where I’m Reading From. The Changing World of Books, Gesa Stedman disagrees with the author again. E-books, she thinks, may be for grown-ups, but that doesn’t make them any more appealing. Tim Parks cannot really understand the […] Read more
Do We Need Stories? Yes! Part III of Tim Parks, Where I’m Reading From
In her fourth instalment of her multi-part review of Tim Parks’ essay collection Where I’m Reading From. The Changing World of Books, Gesa Stedman disagrees Read more
Responding to Tim Parks, Where I’m Reading From Part II
Gesa Stedman continues her multi-part review of Tim Parks’ essay collection Where I’m Reading From, this time with a response to “Why Finish Books?”. In contrast to the author, she thinks books deserve to be read cover to cover. I learned two things from Parks’ essay entitled “Why finish books?”: […] Read more
New Series on The Literary Field Kaleidoscope for World Book Day: A Review of Tim Parks’ “Where I’m Reading From” in Monthly Instalments
It is World Book Day today (only the English celebrate it in March) and a highly suitable occasion for us to launch a new monthly series: a chapter-by-chapter review of Tim Parks’ essay collection Where I’m Reading From. The Changing World of Books. He first published his collection Read more
