Why Home, I Pay Rent – Reading and discussion with Selim Özdogan
November 2, 2016
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Selim Özdogan was born and completed his schooling in Cologne, where he still lives today. His first novel „Es ist so einsam im Sattel, seit das Pferd tot ist“ (1995) has been followed by numerous novels and short stories, most recently „Der Klang der Blicke“, Geschichten (2012) und „DZ“, Roman (2013). Fatih Akin’s film “Im Juli” (2000) was based on Özdogan’s novel of the same name. He wrote his newest novel „Wieso Heimat, ich wohne zur Miete“ after spending half a year in Istanbul. He is the recipient of numerous literary prizes and fellowships, including the
Adelbert van Chamisso Forderpreis and most recently a fellowship from the Robert Bosch Stiftung. Max Kade writer-in-residence at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
WIESO HEIMAT, ICH WOHNE ZUR MIETE: In search of his identity, a lost love, and good chocolate, Krishna Mustafa decides to leave Freiburg temporarily and to take his cousin’s place in a share in Istanbul. He thrives in the turbulent and colorful life of the metropolis and learns a great deal about Turks and Germans, about Erdogan and the Gezi-Park, about mosques and Starbuck’s, and how one can become a good moslem using a prayer-app and sporting the right haircut.
Selim Özdogan will read in German; English translations of the text will be available; discussion will be in German and in English.
Sponsored by UIC Department of Germanic Studies, Goethe-Institut Chicago, Northwestern University
Date posted
Jun 12, 2020
Date updated
Jun 12, 2020