Paul Lynch
How Can We Survive All This?
The Irish author Paul Lynch is one of the outstanding voices in contemporary literature. His work has been honoured with numerous awards. He is coming to Zurich with the novels Beyond the Sea and Prophet Song. Both works deal vividly with the struggle for survival under extreme conditions.
In Beyond the Sea, Lynch tells the story of two South American fishermen who are adrift in the Pacific after a devastating storm and are pushed to their physical and psychological limits.
The Prophet's Song paints a harrowing picture of Ireland descending into an authoritarian state. At the centre is Eilish Stack, a scientist and mother of four, desperately trying to protect her family in the midst of violence and oppression. The dystopian novel was awarded the prestigious Booker Prize in 2023. The jury called the book "a triumph of emotional storytelling, bold and inspiring". It captures the social and political fears of our time with great vividness.
Paul Lynch, born in Limerick in 1977, grew up in Donegal and lives in Dublin. From 2007 to 2011, he was chief film critic for the Irish newspaper Sunday Tribune and wrote regularly for the Sunday Times. Since then he has been a full-time author.
The conversation will be in English, the book excerpts will be read in German.
Organized by the bookstore Buchland.ch
If the weather is bad or uncertain, the event will take place indoors at Kaufleuten.
Enjoy sandwiches, snacks and drinks at the festival bar. Open from 7 pm.
Treat yourself to a fine dinner before the event at Kaufleuten Restaurant, open from 6pm.
Songs reflecting the emotional and political landscapes of the novels 'Prophet Song' and 'Beyond the Sea' – themes of dystopia, existence, survival, oppression, family, resilience, and hope. ➜ Spotify-Playlist