Most recent articles by Volker Kaminski
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Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin’s "The Messiah of Darfur"A peacemaker in times of war
In his multi-layered novel, Sudanese author Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin tells the incredible story of a charismatic "prophet" rallying followers in Darfur, a region devastated by bloody civil war. It is a moving tale of war and love, revenge and hope. Volker Kaminski read the book
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Fariba Vafi's "Die Reise im Zug"Portrait of a mother
Iranian author Fariba Vafi is adept at describing everyday scenes and concealing within them something ambiguous, in parts strange and grotesque. She writes novels – which have been translated into many languages and received numerous prizes (most recently the LiBeraturpreis Litprom for Tarlan) – and short stories. Vafi's skill for subtle understatement shines in her 'Train Ride'. Volker Kaminski read the book
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Najat El Hachmi’s "La filla estrangera"An irrepressible desire for freedom
In her latest novel, Catalan-Moroccan writer Najat El Hachmi tells the story of a young migrant woman struggling to balance her desire for freedom and the demands of tradition and family. With great openness and a sensuous use of language, El Hachmi paints a picture of the timeless conflict encountered by young people striving for self-determination. Volker Kaminski read the book for Qantara.de
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Book review: Fatima Daas' "The Last One"Confessions of a Muslim woman
In her debut novel, Fatima Daas makes use of traditional narrative forms reminiscent of Koranic suras. The piercing, insistent rhythm of her writing style addresses topical issues such as same-sex love, gender and questions concerning her identity as a French woman with Algerian heritage. Volker Kaminski read the book
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Leila Slimani's "The Country of Others"Dreams in times of crisis
Bestselling author Leila Slimani's latest novel tells the story of her grandmother’s arduous life in rural Morocco during the immediate post-war period. Married to a Moroccan officer, the French woman struggles with the differences between their cultures, while both encounter growing hostility from the French settlers, and from the nationalists agitating for Moroccan independence. Volker Kaminski read the book
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Usama Al Shahmani's "Im Fallen lernt die Feder fliegen"Falling, the feather learns to fly
In his second novel, "Im Fallen lernt die Feder fliegen", Iraqi author Usama Al Shahmani describes the stirring story of two young siblings seeking refuge, and their attempts to overcome the double trauma of war and exile. Volker Kaminski read the book
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Book review: Cihan Acar's "Hawaii"Hawaii in Heilbronn
The hero of Cihan Acar's engrossing debut novel is a young Turkish-German man who has returned to "Hawaii", a troubled district in his native city of Heilbronn, searching for a new beginning in life after the premature end to his football career. As he does so, the simmering animosity between the city's self-appointed vigilante civil defence groups and Turkish mafia clans descends into full-scale war. By Volker Kaminski
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Book review: Habib Tengour's "Le Vieux de la Montagne"True legends
The French-Algerian poet Habib Tengour delves deep into the Persian Middle Ages, describing a legendary alliance of men that creates a fateful bond between a religious terrorist, a slick power politician and a poetry-writing mathematician. By Volker Kaminski
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Book review: Pajand Soleymani's "Immer mit Zucker"Bittersweet life
In her novel "Immer mit Zucker" Pajand Soleymani creates a surreal world of cinematic images, intellectual discussion and dreamlike transformation. An unusual reading experience distantly reminiscent of the stories of "One Thousand and One Nights". Volker Kaminski read the book
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Book review: Sherko Fatah's "Schwarzer September"Dirty war
In his new novel, award-winning author Sherko Fatah delves deep into the history of the 1970s Palestinian terror movement "Black September" – a thrilling tale of special agents which boasts no heroes or victors and is indisputably relevant to our times. By Volker Kaminski
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Iraqi author Usama Al ShahmaniʺIn foreign lands, the trees speak Arabicʺ
Usama Al Shahmani fled Iraq in 2002 and has since become a wanderer between worlds. He taught himself German and now works as a translator and cultural mediator in Switzerland. In his novel, he describes how hiking helped him process the loss of his homeland. By Volker Kaminski
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Nathan Englander’s novel "Dinner at the centre of the earth"Caught in limbo
Nathan Englander, an author of novels and short stories and a man who knows Israel very well, has written a fast-paced spy novel in which lovesick spies, dubious businesspeople and a virtually immortal general in a coma fail to bring about a workable solution for peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict. By Volker Kaminski