In this new bimonthly series of talks at the Goethe-Institut Johannesburg South African writers will meet colleagues from all over the continents and from the African diaspora to discuss trends, topics and themes prevalent in their literatures today.Curators of the Literary Crossroads are Pumla Dineo Gqola and Indra Wussow.

27th January
Chirikure Chirikure (Zimbabwe), TJ Dema (Botswana) and Alan Finlay (South Africa)

Poetry across the Borders –
How do new media and the world wide web change the presentation and recognition of Poetry

12th March
Dilman Dila (Uganda) and Napo Masheane (South Africa)

Writers´Versatile Worlds -  the choice of different literary forms and interdisciplinary approaches in literature

The post modern world is loud, multifaceted and full of new chances. Mobile connectivity builds up a bigger, more anonymous but also more engaging audience at the same time.
What does it mean for writers in this global and mobile age? How does this brave new world change their writing and their perception of their roles?
When there was a book before there are so many more options today and so many new literary forms and possibilities.

7th May
Helon Habila (Nigeria) and Nthikeng Mohlele

From Faction to Fiction? How does reality inform the art of writing?

Two writers in different stages of their carreers share their texts and let us take part in their routines of writing.
Literature does not come out of the void and writers are very much part of the world they live and write in. It will be interesting to investigate what role reality plays in the conception of the work, how it is aliented and transcended to something new, that opens new worlds and perceptions, opens new realities beyond the obvious.

2nd June
Shimmer Chinodya (Zimbabwe) and SJ Naudé (South Africa)

Chronists of Change

This evening will offer insights in two different literary landscapes of Africa and two different approaches how to respond to the real existing world as a writer and intellectual.

30th July
Africa calling – about publishing and distrubuting literature

Two African publishers share their experiences on the book market on the African continent.
A German publisher tells us about the success of African writers on the German book market.

7th september
Christian Kracht (Germany) and Henrietta Rose Innes (South Africa) to be confirmed

Of nature and imagination – perceptions of nature and the supernatural in literary texts

8th october
Nii Parkes (Ghana/GB), Charl Pierre Naudé and Guy Helminger (Luxemburg)

Language and identity in poetical writing

All three writers are polyglott and shift  in their works between languages. What does this mean for the lyrical identity of the poets and how might each language triggers different ideas and and topics.
(in collaboration with Poetry Africa in Durban)