See Jáchym Topol in New York November 15 and 16

New Yorkers have a chance to see Czech author Jáchym Topol in the flesh Friday night and Saturday afternoon as part of the New Literature from Europe festival. (Times and locations here.)

Czech author Jáchym Topol in Berlin. Photo: Karel Cudlín.

Topol, the leading author of the post–Velvet Revolution generation, comes to town on the heels of his latest novel, The Devil’s Workshop, translated by Alex Zucker and published by Portobello Books.

Topol will appear Friday night at Melville House in Brooklyn (6:30 p.m.) and Saturday afternoon at the New York Public Library main branch in Manhattan (3:45 p.m.). Both events are free of charge, no reservations required. (Copies of the book will be available for sale from McNally Jackson.)

The Guardian described The Devil’s Workshop, winner of a 2013 English PEN Award for Writing in Translation, as “A strange, twisted novel that sees the citizens of a former concentration camp town turn it into a tourist hit.”

The Times Literary Supplement called it “a miracle of compression, its scope greater than ought to be possible for a book of its length.” The TLS added: “It should help to cement Jáchym Topol’s reputation as one of the most original and compelling European voices at work today.”

Topol’s last public appearance in New York was in 2000, at the Kitchen, where he read to mark the release of the translation of his debut novel, City Sister Silver (Catbird Press; trans. Alex Zucker).

In 2006, City Sister Silver was selected as one of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die.

Jáchym Topol in New York for New Lit From Europe Fest Next Week

New Yorkers are in for a treat next week, as charismatic Czech author Jáchym Topol comes to town for the New Literature from Europe festival, November 14–16 (Thursday to Saturday).

NOTE: Topol himself is confirmed only for the Nov. 15 and 16 events. 

The Times Literary Supplement called Topol’s latest book — The Devil’s Workshop, translated by Alex Zucker and published by Portobello Books — “a miracle of compression, its scope greater than ought to be possible for a book of its length.”

The TLS added: “It should help to cement Jáchym Topol’s reputation as one of the most original and compelling European voices at work today.”

The Guardian described the book’s humor as “so treacly black it almost chokes you.”

You can read an excerpt of The Devil’s Workshop, Topol’s fourth book in English so far, on Topol’s page at the NLE website.

Joining Topol for the New Literature from Europe festival, now in its 10th year, will be eight other authors — from Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, and Spain — including Ilija Trojanow, the Bulgarian-German author recently barred from entering the United States for reasons he believes were connected with his criticism of U.S. surveillance programs.

The festival consists of three events: Thursday evening at the Center for Fiction in Manhattan, Friday evening at Melville House in Brooklyn, and Saturday afternoon at the New York Public Library main branch in Manhattan.

All events are free and open to the public.