»AMERICAN MOTHER. EINE GESCHICHTE VON HASS UND VERGEBUNG« EIN ABEND MIT COLUM MCCANN

In the organizer's words:

Moderation: Andrian Kreye (SZ)
Reading: Sabrina Khalil

"The IS reduced James Foley to a symbol. The book makes him human again."
SZ, Andrian Kreye

In 2014, US journalist James Foley was beheaded on camera by the IS terrorist militia in Syria. In 2021, his mother, Diane Foley, sits opposite her son's murderer - and shakes his hand. This monstrous encounter is the starting point for "American Mother" (Rowohlt // Engl. by Volker Oldenburg), the much-discussed book by Colum McCann published at the end of 2024. It gives Diane Foley a voice, tells of her fight for the truth and reviews the life of her son. A book of radical humanity.

"A breathtaking story of violence and forgiveness"
Salman Rushdie on Colum McCann's "American Mother"

In his new novel "Twist" (Rowohlt / Engl. by Thomas Überhoff), which will be published in March 2025, Colum McCann brings many stories together and deals with what makes us human in the first place: our connection with others. In 2019, journalist Fennell boards a deep-sea cable break repair ship in Cape Town to write a report on communication and its disruptions. The focus: the deep-sea cables that carry global data flows, constantly at risk from natural disasters, war and terrorism. The head of the mission, Conway, doesn't seem happy about the guest, who seems to be interested in everything - perhaps even Conway's wife Zanele? When Fennell gets too curious, the conflict escalates. Alone with the crew on the cabler, the two men circle each other ...

"We're all breaking apart. Our lives, even the unbroken ones, are tumbling over the bottom of the sea. For a while we may gently graze others, but in the end we inevitably collide and are destroyed."
Colum McCann "Twist"

This evening, Colum McCann presents both books in conversation with Andrian Kreye. Sabrina Khalil will read selected passages.

EVENT LANGUAGES: ENGLISH & GERMAN

Price information:

ADMISSION: EURO 16.-/ 10.- STREAM-TICKETS: EURO 8.-