Readings from Around the Globe

May 1, 2009 | 92Y | NYC

With Bernardo Atxaga, Petina Gappah, Mariken Jongman, Michael Ondaatje, Daniel Sada, Hwang Sok-yong, and Colm Tóibín

Join PEN World Voices for this star-studded “around the globe” adventure—
featuring Bernardo Atxaga (Spain), Petina Gappah (Zimbabwe), Mariken Jongman (Netherlands), Michael Ondaatje (Sri Lanka/Canada), Daniel Sada (Mexico), Hwang Sok-Yong (Korea), Bernard Comment (France), and Colm Tóibín (Ireland). Come on a whirlwind tour of the best in contemporary literature—no passports required!

Cosponsored by the 92nd Street Y Unterberg Poetry Center

PHOTO GALLERY
• View the photo gallery on Flickr

LISTEN
• Entire event (1:37:10)

• Bernardo Atxaga reads “Life According to Adam” and other poems (11:01)
• Daniel Sada reads “The Ominous Phenomenon” (11:42)
• Hwang Sok-Yong reads from The Old Garden (15:54)
• Petina Gappah reads “My Cousin-Sister Rambanai” from An Elegy for Easterly (10:07)
• Bernard Comment reads “Among the Generals” by Antonio Tabucchi (14:16)
• Mariken Jongman reads from Rits (9:29)
• Michael Ondaatje reads from Anil’s Ghost (11:26)
• Colm Tóibín reads from Brooklyn (10:21)

VIDEO
• Bernardo Atxaga reads “Life According to Adam” and other poems
• Bernard Comment reads “Among the Generals” by Antonio Tabucchi
• Petina Gappah reads “My Cousin-Sister Rambanai” from An Elegy for Easterly
• Mariken Jongman reads from Rits
• Michael Ondaatje reads from Anil’s Ghost
• Daniel Sada reads “The Ominous Phenomenon”
• Hwang Sok-Yong reads from The Old Garden
• Colm Tóibín reads from Brooklyn

 

PEN Blogs

• Elise Blackwell:
Friday night’s “Readings From Around the Globe” was similar in format to Wednesday night’s headlining “Revolution/Evolution” readings: a series of authors read in their own languages while the English translations scrolled on a screen behind them. [More]

• Mary Ann Caws:
What a menu! The range of tones and places, of subjects and genres was mind-boggling. And mind-enhancing. [More]

• Michael Kelleher:
It was on Friday night, my third at PWV, that things began to get blurry.  I rushed from the Scandinavia House in the East 40’s to the 92nd St Y, arriving just in time for the event to begin. [More]

• Shaun Randol:
The evening’s proceeding served as a reinforcement of my love for the written word and my newly reinvigorated appreciation for world literature. [More]

• Richard Crasta:
Nobody does Reverence and Big Boys, I mean Genuflection and Great Literature, like that Cathedral of High Art, the 92nd Street Y. [More]