Cherry Picking

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First! Incessantly, messages, words, comments vie for our attention and thereby degrade themselves to background noise. Because before content threatens to drown us, we’d rather stay at the surface. Sharing is easier than reading. Is there no time for critical reflection?! One could almost come to the conclusion that all that counts is the fast coverage of something – no matter whether author or medium have a relevant relationship to a topic or actually have something to contribute to it. On Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, we filter friends and subscriptions. But how can we filter which article on a certain topic actually deserves our time? What’s inside – real value or just copy & paste? PIQD from Munich is practically the alternative draft to the range-optimised algorithms of social networks. Curators from journalism, science and politics recommend and comment on the best content in the web and explain what is worth reading and why. On www.piqd.de, you can browse through cannels such as web and politics, Europe, flight and banishment or “Love, Sex and Us” and look into selected and curator-commented articles (Piqs!). Each curator recommends no more than one article per day. Even better: sign up for the free newsletter and configure it to your own needs by selecting topics. By the way, the founder of PIQD is Konrad Schwingenstein, grandson of August Schwingenstein, one of the co-founders of the Süddeutscher Verlag and main investor of the Schwingenstein Stiftung, which advocates further education and services for independent journalists. Somebody is really serious about this. Word!
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Kategorien: Products | Autor: | Datum: 31. August 2016 | Tags: , , , |  Keine Kommentare

Are Saudis strange?

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Are Saudis strange?

How can we deal with this feeling of unfamiliarity that seems to be irresolvable? In the face of the global flow of refugees and the desperate struggle for more humanity, this question is subject of daily concern. It is also a question that Rasha Khayat has been asking herself all her life. Born in the Ruhr area in 1978, and raised in Saudi Arabia, the writer tries to find answers in her literary debut »Weil wir längst woanders sind«, which tells the story of the siblings Layla and Basil. Born and raised in Germany, and socialised by the western culture, Layla’s beloved brother is shocked by his sister’s plans to marry a man in the family’s former home country. And what is even worse: Lalya does not want to marry out of love but as a matter of principle. Find out why and what happens next in this story about keeping with traditions in modern times, about a sense of belonging and feeling out of place, about day-to-day racism and family ties. On March 18th, during the Literatur: Berlin festival, Rasha Khajat will be reading excerpts from her book hot from the press. Listen closely and dive into the novel about the challenging search for cultural identity. For the past six years, Rasha has also been writing a blog about this particular quest. Here, Rasha opens the »German window to Arabistan« – for us and herself – with keen observations, sensitive descriptions and wit. Well-formulated education in a world that has got all caught up in xenophopic emotions. We’re giving away a pair of tickets for the reading at the Kulturbrauerei. So, if you’re interested in finding out how Layla’s decision will change her future and what Basil can learn about his supposed home country, send an email titled ‚NOTHING QUIET ON THE EASTERN FRONT‘ to hurra@muxmaeuschenwild.de.
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Reading ‚Weil wir längst woanders sind‘ by Rasha Khayat | 18.03.16, 8pm | Bibliothek am Wasserturm | pre-sale tickets 8 Euro, tickets at the door 10 Euro at Kulturbrauerei and Georg Büchner Buchladen | Facebook Event

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Kategorien: Events | Autor: | Datum: 16. März 2016 | Tags: , , , |  Keine Kommentare

Facing the insanity of the world

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Facing the insanity of the world

The Satanic Verses, published by Indian-born author Salman Rushdie in 1988, prompted Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei to issue a fatwa against Rushdie, calling on all Muslims worldwide to murder the writer. Although all members of the Islamic Cooperation disagreed with the death sentence, the bounty on Rushdie’s head has been raised twice since and now lies at 3,3 million dollars. Over the years, Salman Rushdie has learned to look over his shoulder but at the same time, Rushdie is a man that will not be intimidated, despite living the life of a fugitive. Rushdie’s’ literary oeuvre includes the novels „Midnight’s Children“, „The Ground Beneath Her Feet“ and “The Moor’s Last Sigh“ and belongs to the greatest what the world of literature has to offer. Like no other, Rushdie inexhaustibly interweaves mythical fairy tales creating tremendously brilliant, inspiring and moving masterpieces. It’s what you call „magic realism“. Here’s a little taste of his newest novel: Salman Rushdie tells a timeless love story in a world ruled by senselessness. Dunia, the princess of light, falls in love with the philosopher Ibn Ruschd, and bears him many children, who make their way out into the world. Ibn Ruschd is classified as an enemy of God; his adversary is the deeply faithful Islamic prophet Ghazali. The spirits of both men engage in a fight. The struggle of faith against rationality begins, and brews such a terrible storm that a chasm opens in the universe, through which the destructive Djin is able to enter. The existence of the world is at stake. Dunia decides to help the people. This is a truly spellbinding work of fiction yet undoubtedly an allegory of the current state of the world that could not be more accurate. On Saturday, 21st November, Salman Rushdie will join the reading of his new novel at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. Johnna Adjorán will be the host of the evening and actor Tom Wlaschiha will speak too. We can’t think of a more inspiring Saturday-night-cocktail and are giving away two tickets to the particularly interested among you. Send an email titled A SEA OF STORIES to hurra@muxmaeuschenwild.de.
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PREMIERE: Reading – Salman Rushdie – Two Years, Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights | 21. November 2015 | 8 pm | Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Scharperstraße 24, 10719 Berlin | Tickets 15 Euro, reduced 12 Euro, students 8 Euro |ticketinfo@berlinerfestspiele.de |
Photo: Book Cover C. Bertelsmann Verlag

 

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Kategorien: Events | Autor: | Datum: 18. November 2015 | Tags: , , , |  Keine Kommentare

High and Low

High and Low

Escaping the world is the true meaning of life for Moritz and the first-person narrator. Escaping from society, everyday life, and all normative forces. Sublime is only what cannot be controlled nor made use of. Drugs, creativity and the veil of darkness are their gateway to greatness. But one day in the middle of summer, Moritz disappears and the narrator is overcome by a feeling of isolation and solitude he has never felt before. He sets out to search for Moritz, but the places that previously set the stage for their life of ecstasy and youthful hedonism show no trace of him whatsoever. This is a tale about exhaustion, disappointment, fear, defiance, and finally understanding that you can escape everything. Except yourself. Boris Pofalla, author of „Low“, was born in 1983 and is a literary scholar, an art critic for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and prefers to drink his coffee black. In his debut novel he uses plain, calm and pure language to describe the story of an awakening and to portray the way of life of a brilliant and sensitive yet narcissist generation. This book was on the hotlist of the KulturSpiegel for Leipzig book fare (27 out of 20.000!) for a good reason: With his laid-back and unpretentious narrative tone, Pofalla manages to strike the right chord better than anyone else. Prior to the official release on March 9th 2015, the author will be reading from his book at 7 pm this evening at the grand Schinkel Pavillon. Both book and location are well worth the trip, making this occasion a fantastic double feature. After the reading there will be some – most likely somewhat ecstatic – celebrating at Larry’s on Chauseestraße. Drinks at the bar and Britta Thie on the decks. Free admission to reading and party. Culture slam, here we come!
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LOW Reading | Wed 04.03.15, 19h | Schinkel Pavillon, Oberwallstr. 1, 10117 Berlin | free admission | metrolit.de

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Kategorien: Events | Autor: | Datum: 04. März 2015 | Tags: , , , , , , |  Keine Kommentare