Outstanding foreign, local authors flock to Jerusalem's International Writers Festival
The Second International Writers Festival kicks off at Mishkenot Sha'ananim this Sunday, May 2nd. Attending will be luminaries from both the Israeli and international literary scenes, including Jonathan Safran Foer and wife Nicole Krauss, Jamaica Kincaid, Paul Auster and Israeli greats Amos Oz, A.B. Yehoshua and David Grossman.
Festival Director Tal Kramer spoke with GoJerusalem.com about highlights to look for at the 2010 incarnation of the festival. "This year we have two major new things: activities for children - story hours, plays, workshops, the entire windmill area will be specially decorated and set up as a children's area - and the 'Between the Lines' program, which is literature plus," he said. "Authors will be holding events with musicians, musical events. It won't just be straight literature this year. The readings will be combined with musical events.
"For me, the most exciting thing about the festival, however, is the number of authors who are coming in from outside Israel. Despite all the craziness in the world, we have authors coming from all over. We always get foreign authors, but this year we have even more than in the past."
For Jerusalem-born author and Hebrew University lecturer Gadi Taub, who will be hosting events with Kathryn Harrison and Etgar Keret, the idea of so many literary greats descending on Jerusalem is a bright spot in the city's cultural life.
"I've known Kathryn Harrison for years now, since I interviewed her for Ha'aretz," Taub told GoJerusalemcom. "I think she's one of the biggest writers in the United States right now. We're going to be talking about the connection between fiction and non-fiction. The other session I'm involved with is with Etgar Keret, who is very well-known abroad. I was just in Poland, and there is no educated person in Poland who does not know who he is. I will be interviewing him at the festival and we'll read some of his stories and discuss them."
For Taub, Jerusalem's rising international cultural status is the most exciting aspect of the festival. "I'm a Jerusalemite, and as such, I'm really happy that there is a festival like this here," he said. "Cultural life doesn't happen on its own, so it's very important for Jerusalem that there are these international events with literary greats from all over the world."
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