site.btaTen Bulgarian Towns Join European Literature Night Sept. 25

Ten Bulgarian towns are joining the European Literature Night on Wednesday, said the organizers. It will be the 13th edition of the initiative in Bulgaria.

Unusual spaces for literature in Sofia, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Plovdiv, Ruse, Silistra and the village of Chavdar will become "readers' nests". There, excerpts from various books will be read out for three and a half hours. The books have been selected by the embassies and cultural institutes of European countries.

Book lovers are encouraged to make their own itinerary through the different "readers' nests".

A total of 19 books from 19 countries will be presented at the locations in Bulgaria this year. The authors are Umberto Eco, Prof. Dr. Bozhidar Manov, Sophie Reyer, Colm Toibin, Gorjan Petreski, Annelies Verbeke, Dagmar Leupold, José Rodrígues dos Santos, Peter Hoeg, Anna Wolz, Goran Vojnović, Kostas Mavrudis, Ursula Foskolou, Juan José Millas, Juan Luis Arsuaga, Eleanor Catton, Pawel Huelle, Victoria Amelina, Attila Bartis, Miřenka Čechová and Etienne Barillier. 

Three of them - Prof. Bozhidar Manov, Dagmar Loipold and Gorjan Petreski - will be at the Sofia readings in person.

In Sofia, "readers' nests" will be located at the National Academy of Theatrical and Film Art, the National Student House, the Bulgaria Concert Hall, Gallery One, Swimming Pool, Structura Gallery, the National Library, the Museum of Paleontology and Historical Geology, Sofia University, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, National Museum of Natural History, the National Theatre, the National Ethnographic Museum, On The Rocks, Friday Bar, Credo Bonum Gallery, Union of Bulgarian Artists, Sofia Library, Shtrak.

In Sofia, the Literature Night will end with the Literary Night Route of poet and playwright Stefan Ivanov. It will start in front of the Ninth French Language School in central Sofia. 

European Literature Night is an initiative of the Czech Centres worldwide aiming to promote contemporary European poetry and prose through unconventional readings from translated books in unusual and unexpected places. It was first held in Bulgaria in 2012. 

This year's edition of the initiative is part of the Sofia Calendar of Cultural Events for 2024 and the Sofia Celebrates September 17 programme.