About the author
Convinced reading books isn’t just for the aged and bored? If not, this ninth gig of a loose literature evening will make you switch. The young bunch behind this Berlin dialectal feast hosts a live talk show where their invitees can chat about their favourite novel. At least that’s the set-up. Last December edition proved again that this rabble doesn’t like to follow a stiff format. Spiced up biscuits from Dutch Santa Claus were tossed through the air and Jort Kelder mostly talked about rich kids. Time for a meet-up with one of the initiators, Tim de Gier.
Last time the evening kicked off with Toine Donk [one of the hosts] climbing out a bathtub, what about that, Tim?
“Haha, we don’t explain that anymore, do we? Literaturfest started in 2010 as a podcast. During the shows Toine thought it was nice to involve some personal reading experiences. On a certain moment he almost started every sentence with ‘when I was reading in bath..’. When we went live we thought it was a funny thing to also bring this upon the stage.”
No pretentious stuff like Iceland poetry, that maybe ten people actually read.
Amsterdam buzz names your crew the ‘roversbende’ (gang of robbers, an impression), what are you after?
“I think it might refer to our independent position within the literary world, so far that’s our goal. For example we always choose our own guests instead of listen to who publishers would wish to see. We just want some nice storytelling about books a lot of people might like. No pretentious stuff like, say Iceland poetry that maybe ten people actually read.”
We first had plans about an old-fashioned book club somewhere in a hotel lobby while smoking large cigars.
In my opinion (young) literary events like these seem to revive these days, what do you think is the reason for that?
“Hmm… I’m not sure, in our case it was also a matter of coincidence. We first had plans about an old-fashioned book club somewhere in a hotel lobby while smoking big cigars. When we eventually started in De Rode Hoed with a slightly different concept the first edition was already a success. We didn’t really expect that either, but it proves indeed that there’s enough audience to fill the room. Maybe it also has something to do with a general historical tendency?”
This Friday will be the Masters of LXRY edition, what to expect with a theme like this?
“Ah, this is also something we created for the fun of it. We’ve had a summer theme last winter because it was so cold, and a Project X one because everyone spoke about that those days. We actually wished for a Flora & Fauna theme with real chickens and a goat, but Daniel [another initiator] thought it was a bad idea. So now it’s something with Large Money this time.”
Join this unconventional book club where Tim, Ernst-Jan and Toine interview Connie Palmen, Sander van de Pavert (LuckyTV), Maartje Wortel and Bas Heijne this Friday. Bar is open during the whole evening and no worries because participation is even discouraged.
Literaturfest IX
When: Friday January 25th, starts at 20:00
Where: De Rode Hoed, Keizersgracht 102
Entrance: Free
Website: www.literaturfest.nl and Facebook
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