literature
Fictional Russian hopefuls in 2012 elections
Russia’s presidential elections on 4 March are creeping ever closer. Following demonstrations across Russia in the wake of parliamentary elections in December, the run-away favourite Vladimir Putin is now more of a walk-away favourite. Who else is in this one-horse race?
literature, moscow, corruption, russian federation, elections, politics, vladimir putin
Obituary: Vaclav Havel, master of peace
The dissident, thespian and president, who was a symbol of change in the 1989 velvet revolution in Czechoslovakia, died on 18 December at the age of 75 after a serious illness. Homage to a European master of peace, as a three-day mourning period officially begins on 21 December
literature, euweek, europe, vaclav havel, theatre, human rights, prague spring
Croatia’s writers and playwrights: no post-war no-hopers
It’s impossible for the moment to imagine a literature and theatre scene in Croatia which does not blend in the story of Yugoslavia’s collapse. The wounds are too fresh, holding back the development of a certain maturity. One young generation of playwrights and writers between Zagreb and Split literally put the streets on their stages and pages, as they move between the daily quest for an identity and the desire for renewal
literature, street, balkans, zagreb, youth, theatre, culture
Spanish poet Martin Lopez-Vega: ‘Choose between culture and commerce’
Looking out over Madrid’s Retiro park, the Spanish poet and translator ponders over his literary concerns and gives us his own brief synopsis of the current poetry scene
Spanish writer Eugenia Rico: 'proud to be called a witch'
The author, poet and journalist from Asturias intertwines the fates of two fictional women across the centuries in her latest novel. In Berlin, we talk witches, twitter and why it’s good to be different
literature, brunch, culture, book review, eugenia rico, spain, books
100th International Women's Day: blow me down
8 March 1911, Copenhagen was about the right to vote. In 2011, the new borders separating the genders are in administration, where the door remains shut to those in heels, unless those are Spanish and French shoes. It's shut in literature, where male editors and literary critics have traditionally made up the majority. Yet in the Ukraine or Italy, it's only women who can denounce prostitution or oppose the trivilisation of political life. cafebabel.com is comprised of three (virile) male and three (voluptuous) female editors. In following these European news or trends together, we agree with something the French writer Rafik Smati once said: 'The world's biggest emerging market is neither Brazil, Russia nor China, but women'. Happy 8th March
- Read the special edition 100th International Women's Day: blow me down
- Ukraine feminists ‘Femen’: topless a political weapon
- Lithuania's female bloggers: cooking, sex and the city
- 40% for Norway’s ‘golden skirt’ board members: do companies need quotas for women?
- International Women's Day: no way we're reading a book by a woman
- Lorella Zanardo: real women 'endangered species' on Italian TV
Satan Scientologist Claus is coming to town
This year we're not even going to say the word. But we'll talk about every freaky thing else. Did you hear about the Assemblies of God, the world's sixth largest Christian denomination, pointing out that 'Santa' is an anagram of 'Satan'? From the metaphysical battle between spiritualists and exorcists in Spain to the open arms of the branches of Scientology in Brussels via the Virgin who, well, appears in Ireland. You may say it's science fiction, but some prefer to call it truth. That's what we've prepared for as we wish you a happy end to this ... 25 December
- Read the special edition Satan Scientologist Claus is coming to town
- From Hogwarts, Narnia and Mordor to the European Union
- Salvador Martín: 'Paranormal will be normal as soon as we rid ourselves of prejudices'
- Brussels: 'There are many more scientologists than we think'
- 'She’s angry' in Ireland: Virgin Mary makes Youtube debut
- Orwell, Bradbury, K. Dick fantasies are our realities
- Spain’s Satan lovers
cafebabel.com Brussels at second EU prize for literature event
Judging literature is difficult, but comparing writers of different languages, cultures and backgrounds is a fruitless task.On November 11, Europe’s literary elite gathered in Brussels to award some of today’s most up-and-coming fiction writers
literature, writers, awards, internet, culture, european union, culture calendar
Conversation with Leo Tolstoy on centenary of his death
20 November 2010; the Russian writer famed for his masterpieces War and Peace and Anna Karenina is about to die for the hundredth time. We meet him before he takes his last train
literature, moscow, brunch, best of cafebabel.com, culture, leo tolstoy
Nobel literature prize for Peru's Mario Vargas Llosa
In 2010 the Swedish academy awarded a career linked to the description of power (including a real candidacy to the presidency of Peru), and also linked to ideas and defeat. The award coincides with an exhibition in Paris about the life and work of the Peruvian writer, who has often visited the French city as well as Madrid and London
literature, peru, culture, nobel literature prize, mario vargas llosa, culture calendar
Are Balkan women more promiscuous?
It's official: more women are approaching men in the dating stakes and a recent book in Serbia reveals a more liberal attitude. So is the Balkan woman moving towards a western, less conservative European model? We hear from Balkan guys and girls
literature, parity, gender, balkans, psychology, sex, men and women
[TRANS] - Attenti al gatto: la letteratura europea finisce nel cassonetto
Ha raggiunto in un lampo i 43mila membri, il gruppo su Facebook che ha permesso di identificare la donna che ha gettato senza motivo un gatto in un bidone dell’immondizia a Coventry, in Inghilterra, qualche settimana fa. Il video, girato dalla telecamera dei proprietari del gatto, ha fatto il giro del mondo e la donna, preoccupata per eventuali ritorsioni degli animalisti (e non solo), ha chiesto protezione alla polizia. Pentita? Nel dubbio, le ricordiamo quanto è stata importante l’immagine del gatto per la letteratura europea e quanto abbia contribuito al nostro immaginario comune.
literature, animals, europe, culture, culture calendar, reading, european tour
Venice, the Moses project and fake funerals
It is slowly sinking, its residents are leaving. The world's media are claiming that Venice’s end is nigh. American environmental information website Mother Nature Network even includes Venice on its '10 places to visit before they vanish' list. But the reality is more complicated
literature, italy, university, urban space, venezia, venice biennale, travel
Introducing Italian poet Vanni Santoni's 'precarious characters'
Initially, the Tuscan-born writer blogged a series of characters. The contemporary anti-heroes soon became literary figures, appearing in the book 'Personaggi precari' in 2007
literature, italy, vanni santoni, european year for combating poverty and social exclusion, civil society, precarity, poverty
Carme Riera: why Catalan’s 'days are numbered'
Whilst in Lisbon for BeBalears, the Balearic Islands cultural week, the Barcelona-based writer and Spanish literature professor discusses how she struggled to write in her native tongue and analyses the erasmus effect
literature, carme riera, culture, barcelona, lisbon, multiculturalism, spain
Book review: the strange case of Ryszard Kapuscinski
The moment I heard that the biography of the late Polish 'journalist of the century' was being written, I knew there'd be some debate. I was right. Because if in Poland someone is 'great', he is also an untouchable saint
literature, feature, ryszard kapuscinski, poland, culture calendar, journalism, society
Agop J. Hacikyan: 'I don’t feel I am translating my culture into English'
The playful Armenian-Canadian author talks his latest novel - hailed as a 'love letter to Istanbul' - straddling continents and his opinions on Turkey in the EU
literature, identity, interview, brunch, languages, london, canada
British authors in Paris on writing and Romania
Vivienne Vermes is working on an autobiographical piece, whilst Denise Larking Coste is about to publish a novella in French; both Brits are members of a writers group from called 'Babel'. We discuss life in Paris, writing and Romania
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