Literary highlights in late summer

Poems for anyone who could do with a bit of cheering up after this scorching summer, which leaves no doubt that the consequences of the climate crisis are upon us. ‘Breathe freely, find happiness easily,’ writes Iris Gold. For life, she says, is in reality ‘a colourful playground where airy, light flowers of breath and happiness grow’. Hasn’t the new era long since begun, and hasn’t the baggage of bygone days been cast aside? Iris Gold vividly describes her idyllic life during her time in Italy, using ‘cluster thinking’ constructs that exude synaesthetic effects.

6 September | Sphères

Refreshed and invigorated by these ‘bubbles of happiness’ in one’s thoughts, it is then a pleasure to take part in the reading seminar on Sven Beckert’s monumental standard work. How has capitalism managed, over the centuries, to develop such immense power and spread so widely across the globe that humanity, nature – indeed, the Earth itself as a habitable planet – have been driven to the brink of existence? Harvard historian Sven Beckert explores this question in his book *Capitalism: History of a World Revolution’. In it, he demonstrates that capitalism already existed in various regions of the world 1,000 years ago and that systems of power, slavery and state violence are not phenomena confined to recent history. But how is it possible to reimagine the future now? In this six-part reading seminar, we will discuss this 1,000-page magnum opus together. We strongly recommend purchasing the book as a basis for the seminar. Register now!

8 September | Paulus Academy

The time has come: the whole of Europe united under a single regime – the whole of Europe? No, little Usserstri, 4.89 square kilometres in the heart of Zurich, continues to do as it pleases. The last free patch of Europe. The Republic annexed everything else 87 years ago and now rules with an iron fist. But since a treacherous murder, harmony has been disrupted in Usserstri too: Jakob Vermeulen, a big shot in the Republic, was shot in the back – and on a Saturday, of all days, when people are supposed to be having fun. The debut by G.A.E. Papageorgiu (*1998, Leipzig) looks more than promising. She studied Islamic Studies and Politics, and her artistic roots lie in the world of comics. Her first novel is inspired by Chandler and Glauser and is set in the Zurich nightlife that has shaped her life for years.

21 September | Sphères

How do women experience living in housing estates that were predominantly planned by men? This workshop invites participants to reflect together on their own living situations and housing histories, and to ask which of women’s needs have been incorporated into the planning – and which have not. The workshop is based on the book project ‘Frauen leben im Neubühl – Vom Wohnen in einer Ikone’ by Sandra König, Henriette Lutz and Ulrike Schröer. Registration is recommended.

23 September | Charlemagne

What do the climate crisis and a patriarchal newspaper editorial office of the 1980s have in common? In their new novels, Marianne Künzle and Richard Reich tell the stories of two young women who stand their ground against seemingly unchangeable circumstances. The reading will take place at dusk at the Utoquai seaside resort, just before the end of the bathing season.

23 October 2026 | Utoquai seaside resort

A personal note: What will Switzerland look like in fifty years’ time? What landscapes will we inhabit, and what stories will they tell us? In my novel *Tal der Schwalben* (Valley of the Swallows), a young scientist sets out in search of a vanishing glacial world and, in doing so, finds himself at the heart of the questions facing us today.

23 October 2026 | City Parks Department

Becoming a mother, being a mother, not wanting to be a mother. Hardly any other life decision is subject to such persistent social commentary. Camille Fröhlich and Michelle Steinbeck tackle a topic in which personal experiences and political expectations are almost impossible to separate. It’s high time we listened more closely.

24 October 2026 | Charlemagne

A discussion of Camille Fröhlich’s *Wahl Familie* will also take place at the Edition Moderne bookshop between 22 and 25 October an exhibition will also be held.

Anyone who thinks young people are no longer interested in books should take a look at the romance scene. Here, characters are adored and books are enthusiastically recommended – some are even decorated with glitter. At ‘Zürich liest’, there are no fewer than four authors to interview. And perhaps it’s also an opportunity to re-examine one’s own perceptions and preconceptions about the genre.

25 October 2026 | Charlemagne