Menu
  • Books
  • Culture

Current book recommendations from Switzerland

22.11.2018

The “Swiss Review” asked two experts to give their tips for new books by Swiss authors. The recommendations for the German-speaking part of Switzerland come from Dani Landolf, Managing Director of the Swiss Booksellers’ and Book Publishers’ Association. Those for the French-speaking part of Switzerland and for Ticino are from Ruth Gantert, managing editor of the Viceversa Literature Yearbook.

German-speaking Switzerland

Alex Capus, “Königskinder” (Hanser):
Capus is one of the best storytellers of contemporary Swiss literature.

Heinz Helle, “Die Überwindung der Schwerkraft” (Suhrkamp):
An expertly told story about the search for a deceased brother.

André Holenstein, Patrick Kury, Kristina Schulz, “Schweizer Migrationsgeschichte, von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart” (Hier und Jetzt Verlag):
A non-fiction book about the hysteria surrounding migration.

Lukas Holliger, “Das kürzere Leben des Klaus Halm” (Zytglogge):
An amusing, idiosyncratic and original novel based in Basel.

Jonas Lüscher, “Kraft” (C.H. Beck):
Seldom has anyone exposed the New Economy ideology so brilliantly and with such wit.

Gianna Molinari, “Hier ist noch alles möglich” (Aufbau):
A spooky yet subtle story about threats and borders.

Anita Siegfried, “Blanchefleur” (Bilgerverlag):
A light historical novel full of lively characters.

Peter Stamm, “Die sanfte Gleichgültigkeit der Welt” (S. Fischer Verlag):
The author returns to his literary beginnings and former strength.

Vincezo Todisco, “Das Eidechsenkind” (Rotpunktverlag):
A poetic and captivating story about a boy who illegally immigrated to Switzerland and is forced to hide.

Julia Weber, “Immer ist alles schön” (Limmatverlag):
A sad yet beautiful, wonderfully eloquent and idiosyncratic book.

 

French-speaking Switzerland

Jean François Billeter, “Une autre Aurélia und Une rencontre à Pékin” (Allia):
A moving diary of mourning and an account of an intercultural love story.

Laurence Boissier, “Rentrée des classes” (art&fiction):
The Geneva-based author carefully recounts how ten-year-old Mathilde finds her way back to life after her father’s disappearance.

Julien Bouissoux, Janvier (L’Olivier):
“What does an employee do when they are forgotten at their job?” A light, melancholic satire of our working world.

Elisa Shua Dusapin, “Les Billes du Pachinko” (Zoé):
An enchanting novel about relationships between generations, about foreigners and home.

Claudine Gaetzi, “Grammaire blanche” (Samizdat):
A poetic plunge into inner and outer spaces, carefully remembering and progressing.

Rinny Gremaud, “Un monde en toc” (Seuil):
The author travels around the world and takes an attentive and ironic look at special places, or non-places: shopping malls.

Pascale Kramer, “Une famille” (Flammarion):
The author skillfully recounts the everyday life of a family living in the shadows of the alcohol addiction of the son and brother.

Pierre Lepori, “Nuit américaine” (Éditions d’en bas):
Alex the journalist flies to America during a life crisis and wanders through the metropolis: a tragicomic impression of life.

Bruno Pellegrino, “Ici, août est un mois d’automne” (Zoé):
The author retraces the life of the poet Gustave Roud and his sister Madeleine.

Philippe Rahmy, “Pardon pour l’Amérique” (La Table ronde):
A legacy of the author who died in 2017. He gives a voice to people who have been wrongly imprisoned.

 

Ticino

Laura Di Corcia, “In tutte le direzioni” (Lietocolle):
The volume contains, among other things, poems for which the young poet won a prize in 2017.

Andrea Fazioli, “Succede sempre qualcosa” (Casagrande/Guanda):
A volume with subtle short stories and a new detective novel starring private detective Elia Contini.

Giorgio Genetelli, “La partita” (Edizioni Ulivo):
With hardly any belongings, Damian settles down in an abandoned house. What are the reasons for his escape?

Federico Hindermann, “Sempre altrove” (Marcos y Marcos):
The delicate poems of the poet, who died in 2012, published in a carefully compiled and comprehensive anthology.

Anna Ruchat, “Gli anni di Nettuno sulla terra” (Ibis):
In 12 short stories, the author explores human life in the passage of time.

Alexandre Hmine, “La chiave nel latte” (Gabriele Capelli):
The autobiographical novel recounts how the son of a Moroccan mother grows up in Ticino.

Pierre Lepori, “Quasi amore” (Sottoscala):
In 45 poems, the Ticino-based author melancholically and melodically praises his near-love or lover.

Fabio Pusterl, “Cenere, o terra” (Marcos y Marcos) and “Una luce che non si spegne” (Casagrande):
The poet circles around the elements and portrays companions.

Luca Saltini, “Una piccola fedeltà” (Giunti):
Love, money and power in Romania during the reign of the dictator Ceausescu. A dramatic historical novel.

Maria Rosaria Valentini, “Il tempo di Andrea” (Sellerio):
After a stroke and a separation, Andrea is in hospital and his thoughts revolve around episodes from his past.

Comments

×

First name, surname and place/country of residence is required

Enter valid name

Valid email is required!

valid email address required

Comment is required!

Comment rules have to be accepted.

Please accept

Google Captcha Is Required!

* These fields are required.

top