An ambitious seven-volume project written in Danish and based on the idea of time loops, set in a book-loving environment against the backdrop of love and loneliness as unique experiences. It sounds like a cult work, and it is, but the publication of the first titles has also become a European literary phenomenon that we wanted to highlight on the main day of the 42 Festival. On Saturday, 9 November, the central hall will welcome Solvej Balle for a conversation with Adam Martín about the start of this project in Spanish and Catalan, published by Anagrama [the first two instalments have appeared in English as On the Calculation of Volume I and II]. The premise is simple: Tara and Thomas are booksellers specialising in illustrated works from the 18^th century. One November morning, however, Tara takes a train to Paris, burns her hand, tells him about it and falls asleep. The next day, everything starts again, but not like in Groundhog Day: Tara ages, and the literary repetition draws on science fiction to explore topics such as memory, passion, monotony, free will and the passage of time, leaving us both hooked and unhinged. If you’re not stuck like Tara and you can come by in the morning, don’t miss this talk. You’ll be hearing lots about this septology.

Guest:

Solvej Balle

Moderator:

Adam Martín Skilton

*Simultaneous interpreting into Spanish available