Free the Word! Linz: programme announced

Free the Word! Linz is pleased to announce its programme taking place from 22 to 24 October. Following on from Free the Word! London in April, Free the Word! Linz will bring together ‘the great writers you know and the great writers you don't', giving a platform to explosive and exciting storytelling, dialogue and discussion across cultures and languages.

For the full programme and more information on how to book tickets, please re-visit this website in mid-August.

For further information about Free the Word! Linz contact Vinzenz Weissbacher, Free the Word! Linz Programme Director, weissbacher@penclub.at

Friday 23 October

10am - 6pm
Presentation of German literature, readings, book-signings

10am - 12pm
Translation - A Sensitive Matter with Silvija Hinzmann
Examining the translation of literary texts into another language.

10am - 12pm
How Does a Book Become a Book? with Benedikt Föger
Demonstration for students of the process of producing a book starting from the initial idea to the printed and bound book.

9.30am - 1.30pm
A number of literary excursions will be offered taking in the literature and culture of Linz

12pm - 2.45pm
History in a Dish
A literary lunch with readings accompanying a meal, relating to the history of the dishes served.

3pm - 6pm
Biographies: Writing Woody Allen's biography with Eric Lax

3pm - 6pm
International PEN Writers in Prison Committee with Karin Clark and Helmuth A. Niederle
A discussion about the activities of the Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN 

3pm - 6pm
Literature and Sign Language: Signs, signs, nothing but signs ...?
Reading in sign language of texts translated from the European 'SignbooksLibrary'

6pm - 7pm
Literature and Nature with Jiri Gruša
On the occasion of the birthday of the eminent Austrian poet Adalbert Stifter

6pm - 7pm
Literature and Nature with Alexander Stillmark
On the occasion of the birthday of the eminent Austrian poet Adalbert Stifter

6pm - 7pm
Literature and Japanese Manga Culture with Ambassador Akio Tanaka
in association with Japanese PEN

7pm - 8.30pm
Literature and Science with Carl Djerassi, Stefan Klein, Daniel Kehlmann, chaired by Elisabeth Nöstlinger
An exploration of Darwin's and its consequences

7pm - 8.30pm
Literature and Tradition in Chinese Literature with Wolfgang Kubin and Yang Lian, chaired by Richard Trappl

9pm - 10.30pm:
Literature and Religion with Amin Maalouf, Robert Schneider, Felizitas von Schönborn, chaired by Maria Katharina Moser
Between enlightenment and fundamentalism

9pm - 10.30pm
Literature and Political Power with Dragan Velikic, Karl Markus Gauß, Norbert Schreiber, Penka Angelova, chaired by Susanne Scholl
Coming to terms with history - a literary approach

Saturday 24 October

10am - 12pm
Literature and the Power of Geography with György Konrad, György Dalos, chaired by Emil Brix
The Danube region as a shared literary scenery


3pm - 6pm
A number of literary excursions will be offered taking in the literature and culture of Linz