2023 Thomas Mann Fellow Ghayath Almadhoun will read from his poetry and engage in a conversation with Eyal Amiran (Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine) and Liron Mor (Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine).

Ghayath Almadhoun formulates his project at the Thomas Mann House as follows: "In my new book of poetry, I will use my writing as a diary to survive, as a therapy to heal the inner wound, and will translate into poetry the reality in which I suddenly find myself. I will search for the origins of my double exile, a stateless child born in Damascus and forced to flee from Syrian exile to a Western one. In this double exile, I will write down the paradox of this new life through mirroring memories. I am no longer Middle Eastern, nor will I ever be 100% Western. I am a new species coming out of exile and living in the parallel. I am becoming the parallel. Berlin is a place where I have my own imaginary Marshall Plan to rebuild Damascus in my imagination.”

Ghayath Almadhoun will present and discuss his work at the University of California, Irvine.

LOCATION:

Humanities Instructional Building 135

University of California, Irvine

Irvine, CA 92697

Attendance to this event is free and open to the public. No RSVP needed.

The event is organized by the University of California Irvine and co-presented by the Thomas Mann House.