Laurent Gaudé is a guest at the University of Wuppertal for the second time since 2016. The author is considered one of the most important representatives of contemporary French literature and is known beyond the borders of France. He began his career with theatre plays that were performed on the biggest stages in France. In 2001, Gaudé wrote his first novel "Cris" (German: Schreie), which was followed by the multi-award-winning novels "La Mort du roi Tsongor" (English: The Death of King Tsongor) and "Le Soleil des Scorta" (English: The Sun of Scorta). His theatre play "Le Tigre bleu de l'Euphrate" (The Blue Tiger of the Euphrates) is currently being staged at the Théâtre de la Colline in Paris.

"Laurent Gaudé has the ability to explore universal themes with empathy and humanity and to translate them into literature. His works question our relationship to love, loyalty, grief, exile, memory and revenge, but also leave room for hope and the beauty of life," summarises the organising team of the Wuppertal literature series led by Marie Cravageot and Stephan Nowotnick (Romance Studies).

Signposts for the future?

The "Rencontre Littéraire" - the literary encounter - with Gaudé is dedicated to the relationship between literature, history and memory as well as the question of whether the past can serve as a guide for the future. The author will also present parts of his recently published work "Terrasses", a story about the terrorist attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015.

The event is free of charge and will be held in French, with the possibility of translation into German. After the reading, guests are invited to a discussion and aperitif. There will also be the opportunity to buy and sign books by the author. Prior registration via this event link is required for participation via Zoom.