Izvještaj s događaja: Aleksandar Hemon, "Bejturan i ruža"

WRITTEN BY: Aldin Karahasanović

At the last event of the second day of the ninth International Literature Festival Bookstan, Aleksandar Hemon's new novel ‘The World and All That It Holds’ was presented. In the crowded garden of the Buybook Bookstore, the founders and curators of the first edition of the festival, Aleksandar Hemon, and one of the world's leading literary critics and editors, John Freeman, discussed Hemon's new novel, which was written over the course of 10 years.

So that all visitors could attend, Buybook's garden became a standing area. ‘Blame me for standing, I said to move the chairs away,’ said Hemon before the promotion officially began. As before other events at this year's festival, a poem was read by the poet Mosad Abu Toha, whose collection of poems about his life in Gaza was also featured in the festival program. Petra Amalia Bachman read Toha's poem ‘Displaced’, which served as an excellent introduction to any conversation with Hemon, who repeatedly said during the evening: 'Migration is narration.'

Love, history and identity were discussed, especially in the context of Aleksander Hemon's work. They touched on Hemon's diminishing involvement in American political events and the sense of social engagement he finds through music, which serves as a refuge from his feelings of hopelessness and uselessness. ‘The World and All That It Holds’ is a powerful, moving and extensive story that is said to be Hemon's masterpiece and represents the pinnacle of his storytelling talent. The plot of the novel begins in Sarajevo in 1914, and then stretches across decades and continents, masterfully depicting the lives of heroes through a century of turbulent history, the fall of great empires, wars, famous cities, indelible loves, unbearable losses, dreams, songs and delusions.

You can watch a video of the promotion here, and on Saturday, July 6 at 2 p.m., Buybook will host a reading of this novel, where all interested visitors will be able to ask the author questions. This year's Bookstan will be closed with a concert by Damir Imamović on Saturday, July 6, at 9:00 p.m. at Dom mladih. You can buy tickets for this event at Buybook or get them for free by buying the book ‘The World and All That It Holds’ by Aleksandar Hemon, who will be the special guest of this concert.

Photo (c) Milomir Kovačević Strašni