Selim Özdoğan in Düsseldorf: A reading about origin, departure, and resistance

Selim Özdoğan tells of departure, origin, and the dream of another life

At the Literature Days Düsseldorf, Selim Özdoğan reads from his new novel You Won't Get Us Out of Here. The reading takes us to Cologne in the early 1980s and connects family history, migration experience, and political awakening into a multifaceted literary experience.

Cologne at the beginning of the 80s: Between everyday life and departure

At the center is Baran Konak, who grows up in a family shaped by work, multilingualism, and different ideas of home. His father Merter works as a foreman on a construction site and transforms into an almost different figure in his dark green bell-bottomed suit on Friday nights. Between the working world, family rituals, and societal changes, Özdoğan unfolds a precise panorama of those years.

A squatted house as a literary resonance space

When the Konak family moves into a squatted house, different life concepts confront each other directly. Plena, demonstrations, disputes, and urban struggles form the social stage for a narrative about community. The narrative tension arises from the friction between familial roots and alternative political utopias.

Linguistic art between family novel and social narrative

Selim Özdoğan is one of the prominent voices in contemporary German-Turkish literature. His style combines precise observations of everyday life with warmth, humor, and a keen sense of cultural transitions. Since his debut novel It's So Lonely in the Saddle Since the Horse Died, he has published novels, stories, and audiobooks. For his literary work, he has received several awards, including the sponsorship award for the Adelbert von Chamisso Prize and the Hohenems Literature Prize; in 2016 he was invited to the Ingeborg Bachmann Competition.

Literature and sound as a shared experience

The reading will be enhanced by musical accents from pianist Dila Yavuz. This creates a special reading atmosphere in which voice, rhythm, and text correspond with one another. The audience experiences the author encounter not just as a classic book presentation, but as a sensory connection of literature, music, and memory.

Conclusion: A reading about belonging and resistance

Selim Özdoğan's You Won't Get Us Out of Here promises a profound author encounter about family, migration, political movements, and the search for a self-determined life. Literature enthusiasts will experience a linguistically striking reading with social depth and musical accompaniment. Those who want to experience contemporary literature as a vibrant cultural discourse will find a compelling reason to attend the Literature Days Düsseldorf.

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Sources:

• zakk – Event details and ticket information
• Literature Rheinland – Event description and author information
• Literature Days Düsseldorf – Festival program 2026
• Selim Özdoğan – Biography and overview of works