With the aim of celebrating non-hegemonic languages and their literatures achievements, this year Dhaka Lit Fest 2019 has invited Minna Lindgren, Anne Ostby and Maria Filomena Bouissou Lepecki — all of their works were not in English and this will be their first time attending the festival.
Anne Ostby is a Norwegian author who has written books for adults, young adults and children. She has written eleven books, and her latest novel, Pieces of Happiness, has been sold in eleven different countries, and has been translated by her daughter Marie. It is the first of her books to be published in the United States. She has spent almost the last three decades living in nine different countries including Myanmar, Denmark, Malaysia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, USA, East Timor and Fiji. A common theme of her novels is identity and women’s lives in different cultures.
Minna Lindgren, born in 1963, is a renowned and award-winning journalist and Finnish author, famous for her whimsical writing style and fearless approach to even the touchiest topics. The Sunset Grove trilogy (2013 – 2015), a hilarious, sharp and satirical tale about three 90-year-old ladies solving murder mysteries, is a bestseller not only in her native Finland, but worldwide, with translations into 10 languages. Here is her interview with Dhaka Tribune
The Dhaka Lit Fest 2019 started on 7th November until 9th November 2019 at Bengla Academy Link. The 3 day festival is packed with plenty of poetry, musical and literature discussions planned. As this year is about appreciating equality, women and power of literature, their impressive guest list included Pulitzer winner and many more iconic authors line up to inspire participants.
