Writing In A City That’s Collapsing

 The PEN Atlas is your gateway to a world of literature.  Every Thursday, we post literary despatches from around the world, showcasing the very best international writers.  We hope to bring new insights into the rich literary landscape that may be found beyond the English language. All content is commissioned and edited by Tasja Dorkofikis, who will be inviting a wide range of contributors from around the world about to give their views on contemporary and emerging literature.  If you would like to pitch or reprint an article then please get in touch. English PEN Launches the PEN Atlas with this piece by Athens based writer Gazmend Kapllani.

What does an author do in a city that is collapsing? Like all the other non-authors, he tries not to collapse. He hopes that the worst is over, and yet he fears that perhaps the worst is yet to come. He observes the falling snow and for a moment he thinks about the homeless who have filled the streets of Athens. To them, snow means death. Perhaps this makes a certain book come to mind – A Sun for the Dying by Jean-Claude Izzo (READ MORE) 

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