Reading by Valérie Zenatti

Presentation and translation:
Patricia Klobusiczky

The 19-year-old Jacob Melki, son of an extremely poor Jewish shoemaker family from the Algerian Constantine, is convened by the French colonial power in 1944 to go to war against the Germans. Alternating, the author tells of his experiences on the front and his family who have to struggle with their own tragedies at home.

Valérie Zenatti's novel highlights the theme of the Second World War from an unusual point of view - from the colonial perspective. Jacob who was not considered French enough to visit the Lycée is suddenly French enough to be in trenches for the colonial power. How can he choose between the different cultures that determine his life? Atmospherically, poetically, and with great empathy Zenatti tells about the young man's fears and hopes who would rather read poems than shoot people.

JACOB, JACOB is not only a war and colonial novel but above all a touching family portrait and a report of a forgotten culture. The novel was awarded the Prix Méditerranée and the Prix du Livre Inter.

Valérie Zenatti will be accompanied by Patricia Klobusiczky, her translator. Patricia Klobusiczky presents the author and her novel to the audience.

Location:
Autohaus Kroh, Ederstraße 72

Thursday, 14th of September 2017

Beginning:
8 pm

Admission:
5,- € / 2,- €

Valérie Zenatti

Valérie Zenatti, whose family was from Algeria, was born in Nice in 1970. Today she works as a writer and translator (among others for Aharon Appelfeld and Zeruya Shalev) in Paris. Her books are translated into numerous languages, two have been filmed. She was awarded the Prix Méditerranée and the Prix du Livre Inter for JACOB, JACOB by the same-named French radio station.

Patricia Klobusiczky

Patricia Klobusiczky, born in 1968, studied translation of literature in Düsseldorf and worked as a lecturer for a long time. She is a translator since 2006, among others for William Boyd, Marie Darrieussecq, Stéphane Hessel, Lorrie Moore, Louise de Vilmorin and Marc Weitzmann.