Asia
-
Upcoming Event: China Inside Out
Thu 29 Mar 2012
9:30amFree Word Lecture Theatre
9.30am - 5.30pm What is the true story of contemporary Chinese literature? What stories do Chinese writers tell about their country - and what stories remain untold? What role do poets and novelists play in representing their country to fellow citizens, and to the outside world? And how accurate are the stories that we tell about China in the West? …
-
Past Event: To Fight Through Cartoon
Exhibition launch
Wed 15 Feb 2012
6:30pmFree Word Hall
ARTICLE 19 cordially invites you to the launch of ‘TO FIGHT THROUGH CARTOON’, the new London print exhibition by acclaimed Malaysian political cartoonist Zunar. This series of editorial cartoons is banned in his home country and now travels to London from Bilbao, Spain, where it received warm praise for its searing exploration of state corruption, the ‘Anwar conspiracy…
-
Past Event: Spotted Dick and Pock-Marked Old Woman’s Beancurd
An evening with Fuchsia Dunlop, writer on Chinese cookery
Thu 24 Nov 2011
5:30pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
Fuchsia will introduce the complexities of Chinese cuisine and the language used to describe it. Learn all about “mouth-feel” and get to try (if you like) some typical Chinese spices and flavourings. …
-
Past Event: Matteo Pistono In the Shadow of the Buddha
Fri 9 Sep 2011
2:04pmVenue TBC
Author and undercover reporter Matteo Pistono discusses his book "In the Shadow of the Buddha", the story of how he became a covert human rights monitor in Tibet. Presented in association with Tibet Society. For nearly a decade, Pistono evaded Chinese security and took photos of prisons, obtained secret documents, and smuggled out firsthand interviews of torture victims and other…
-
Past Event: Chinese Fables
With Bi Feiyu and Chan Koonchung
Tue 23 Aug 2011
5:30pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
We’re delighted to bring two of China’s most respected and controversial authors together in this unique event at the Free Word Centre. Bi Feiyu won this year’s Man Asian Literary Prize for his masterful novel Three Sisters. The author was due to visit the UK last year to promote his book – an epic…
-
Past Event: Connecting Conversations
David Blandy in conversation with Valerie Sinason
Mon 18 Jul 2011
6:00pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
Filmmaker David Blandy meets psychoanalyst Valerie Sinason to screen his latest film Child of the Atom and to discuss making the work, memory and family legends in relation to historical traumas. Inspired by Blandy's grandfather's belief that the atomic bombing of Hiroshima saved his life when he was a POW held by the Japanese, Child of the Atom…
-
Past Event: Afghan Literary Cafe
Thu 31 Mar 2011
5:30pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
Following on from the success of the Go Dutch events in 2010, we are delighted to present an Afghan Literary Cafe with two new writers from The Netherlands: poet Shakila Azizzada, and Tahmina Akefi, whose first novel will be published soon. Saira Shah, author of The Storyteller’s Daughter will be reading from her novel, and Reza Mohammadi, whose work…
-
Even my pen has a stand! An interview with Malaysian cartoonist Zunar
Political cartoonist Zunar, whose works are banned in his native Malaysia, talks to Free Word's Tom Chivers ahead of his London exhibition To Fight Through Cartoon.
-
Video: Free Word hosts the launch of Writers Bloc
Writers including Kamila Shamsie and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie discuss education around the world at the launch of pioneering writing and education project Writers Bloc.
-
Malaysian satirist takes government to court over ‘Cartoon-O-Phobia’
Ahead of his exhibition of cartoons at the Free Word Centre, ARTICLE 19 report on the ongoing legal proceedings between the Malaysian Government and political cartoonist Zunar.
-
Not a bomb. Just a book.
Controversy surrounding the 1988 novel The Satanic Verses has reignited after its author Salman Rushdie cancelled his appearance at the Jaipur Literature Festival. Rushdie pulled out of a scheduled appearance following apparent threats of assassination (reported subsequently to be fictitious). In response to his absence British Indian author Hari Kunzru and three other writers, Jeet Thayil, Ruchir Joshi and Amitava Kumar,…
-
Kamila Shamsie on Writers Bloc
Writers Bloc is a new writer-led initiative which explores education throughout the world. Ahead of its launch at the Free Word Centre, livestreamed at freewordonline.com, co-founder Kamila Shamsie talks to us about the project and her article on Pakistan's curriculum challenges.
-
Translating the Environment
Director of arts and environment organisation Tipping Point Peter Gingold responds to Translating the Environment, a panel discussion hosted by Isabel Hilton and Sam Geall of chinadialogue.net
-
Video: Rachida Lamrabet & Neel Mukherjee in conversation
Free Word Writer in Residence Rachida Lamrabet and Neel Mukherjee in conversation at Passa Porta literature house, Brussels.
-
A letter from Neel Mukherjee to Rachida Lamrabet
Rachida Lamrabet is the Free Word Centre’s Writer in Residence. She has been corresponding with Neel Mukherjee, who is resident at the International House of Literature in Brussels, ‘Passa Porta’.
-
A letter from Rachida Lamrabet to Neel Mukherjee
Rachida Lamrabet is the Free Word Centre’s Writer in Residence. She has been corresponding with Neel Mukherjee, who is resident at the International House of Literature in Brussels, ‘Passa Porta’.
-
So you think you can make translation sexy?
So I’ve had to dream up a series of Free Word Centre talks for a non-specialist, non-translator audience, which are China/translation-focussed. Why not ask myself? It seemed like a great idea at first. I could hardly refuse…. So I did: “Nicky, will you give a talk on ‘3,000 years of Chinese translation’? …
-
Imprisoned Burmese poet Zarganar released
The Burmese poet Zarganar, an honorary member of English PEN, has been released today as part of an amnesty for approximately 2,000 political prisoners.
-
The Bookclub Fest
Phew! Well we had our first event last night, a joint one hosted by Rosalind and me, the Bookclub Fest. Around 40 people came, all enthusiastic readers and some clearly Bookclub regulars. It was excellent. First the practicalities: we had a great space, at the Free Word Centre, with plenty of room for everyone, plenty of seating, and refreshments. We had…
-
Ideas and Ideals
I’ve been a translator and a teacher of translation studies for about ten years. But becoming Translator–in–Residence at the Free Word Centre is something quite different and filled me with inspiration from the moment I first heard about it. My head fizzed with ideas for days on end…and nights too. What a…
-
Eynulla Fatullayev is Free
After an international free campaign led by English PEN, Azerbaijani editor Eynulla Fatullayev was pardoned by the government on 26 My 2011. Following his release, Pen said, "We no longer need to campaign for Fatullayev, but hundreds of other writers remain in prison or under threat."