the things i am thinking while smiling politely... - Migrationsrat Berlin ...
the things i am thinking while smiling politely... - Migrationsrat Berlin ...
the things i am thinking while smiling politely... - Migrationsrat Berlin ...
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„<strong>the</strong> <strong>things</strong> i <strong>am</strong> <strong>thinking</strong> <strong>while</strong> <strong>smiling</strong> <strong>politely</strong>...“<br />
Ein literarischer Abend in den Räumen des <strong>Migrationsrat</strong> <strong>Berlin</strong>-Brandenburg<br />
mit der Autorin und Aktivistin Sharon Dodua Otoo.<br />
Datum: 29.03.2012<br />
Uhrzeit: 19:00 Uhr<br />
Ort: MRBB, Oranienstr. 34 (U8 Kottbussertor, M29 Adalbertstr.)<br />
Am 29.03.2012 wird die Autorin und langjährige Aktivistin Sharon Dodua Otoo ihr Debüt Roman :<br />
“<strong>the</strong> <strong>things</strong> i <strong>am</strong> <strong>thinking</strong> <strong>while</strong> <strong>smiling</strong> <strong>politely</strong>...“ vorstellen.<br />
„ '<strong>the</strong> <strong>things</strong> i <strong>am</strong> <strong>thinking</strong> <strong>while</strong> <strong>smiling</strong> <strong>politely</strong>' (Die Dinge, an die ich denke, während ich höflich<br />
lächele) ist die Geschichte der langs<strong>am</strong>en Zersetzung einer Ehe sowie der Konsequenzen für<br />
Freunde und F<strong>am</strong>ilie. Ama verliert ihre Sista, Kareem lernt einer guten Freundin zu misstrauen, die<br />
Geschwister Ash und Beth müssen um die Zuwendung ihrer Mutter ringen, Till und seine<br />
Lebensgefährtin entgleiten einander. Feinfühlig, schonungslos, mit subtilem Humor erzählt die Frau<br />
mit all ihren Rollen, wie sie sich neu kennenlernt – und nicht nur von der erfreulichen Seite.<br />
Nach jahrelanger aktivistischer Tätigkeit in der Schwarzen deutschen Community setzt Sharon<br />
Dodua Otoo auch auf dem literarischen Feld weiterhin auf Empowerment. In die<br />
Trennungsgeschichte einer in Deutschland lebenden Schwarzen britischen Frau fließen ihre<br />
Beobachtungen über Alltagsrassismus und Privilegien mit ein.“<br />
Die Autorin:<br />
Sharon Dodua Otoo ist Schwarze Britin – Mutter, Aktivistin, Autorin und Herausgeberin der<br />
englischsprachigen Buchreihe „Witnessed“ in der edition assemblage. „Die Geschichte vom Kreis<br />
und Viereck“ erschien kürzlich in (K)Erben des Kolonialismus im Wissenschaftsarchiv deutsche<br />
Sprache, herausgegeben von Susan Arndt und Nadja Ofuatey-Alazard (UNRAST Verlag, 2011).<br />
Sharon Dodua Otoo lebt, lacht und arbeitet in <strong>Berlin</strong>. „<strong>the</strong> <strong>things</strong> i <strong>am</strong> <strong>thinking</strong> <strong>while</strong> <strong>smiling</strong><br />
<strong>politely</strong>“ ist ihre erste Novelle.
Rezensionen:<br />
Klasse!<br />
„Was für ein Vergnügen! Habe die Geschichte f<strong>am</strong>iliärer Entfremdung und Indentitätssuche gleich<br />
zweimal hintereinander gelesen. Weils so gut ge- und beschrieben ist. Weil die Beobachtungen<br />
deutscher und afroeuropäischer Befindlichkeiten so treffend sind. Weil der Stil raffiniert und<br />
humorvoll ist. Empfehlenswert. Übrigens ein auch für Deutsche leicht lesbares Englisch.„<br />
Refreshing wit <strong>while</strong> profound<br />
„Do not be mistaken by <strong>the</strong> comparatively slim footprint oft Otoo's new book: <strong>the</strong>se understated<br />
`thoughts' are going to send shockwaves through <strong>the</strong> avant-garde literary world. While <strong>the</strong> `novella'<br />
is <strong>the</strong> author's first, <strong>the</strong> story gets told in a novel, exhilarating way with refreshing wit and language<br />
that is both emotive and evocative by using recurring imagery that builds up momentum over time -<br />
<strong>the</strong> effect on <strong>the</strong> reader is being awe-struck by sudden revealing surprise at <strong>the</strong> accuracy of<br />
observation, <strong>the</strong> deepening understanding of what has usually no words to describe it fully.<br />
This book is profoundly poetic and easily doubles its size and profoundness when you read it -<br />
without making it an arduous read at all. Rarely do we see such a powerful rendition of conflict,<br />
love, social, as well as highly individual reflections packed into printed pages. Would this be an<br />
`ethnic' book Would this be postcolonial writing Any such characterisation would not give <strong>the</strong><br />
universal plot its due. Coming from a distinct corner can give a story an edge over any flavourless,<br />
ordinary drabble, but its true merits do not linger <strong>the</strong>re; <strong>the</strong> life unfolding through <strong>the</strong> pages hints<br />
at issues well beyond <strong>the</strong> main character's social background (which keeps changing dr<strong>am</strong>atically<br />
anyway - as is often <strong>the</strong> case in modern society).<br />
My advice: get hold of your personal copy before <strong>the</strong> first small edition is sold out.„<br />
Boldly conceived and magnificently written<br />
„A haunting account of <strong>the</strong> turmoil relating to <strong>the</strong> break-up of a marriage, seen through <strong>the</strong> eyes of<br />
<strong>the</strong> female character. This deceptively simple and sad story is peppered with humour, enlightening<br />
observations, cultural annotations and meticulous visual imageries worthy of a film script. The<br />
author displays <strong>the</strong> rare combination of cool, sharp, scrutinizing intelligence and passionate<br />
emotion.<br />
The protagonist remarks on page 77 that one of <strong>the</strong> words she particularly likes is "surreptitious"<br />
and that it is <strong>the</strong> perfect adjective to describe her behaviour on <strong>the</strong> fateful morning of her marital<br />
relationship. It is perhaps also <strong>the</strong> word to describe Sharon Otoo's innovative approach and style<br />
for <strong>the</strong> Novella: <strong>the</strong> chapters run backwards, <strong>the</strong> timeline is deliberately <strong>am</strong>biguous, and despite <strong>the</strong><br />
film-like clarity of individual scenes <strong>the</strong>re is a Proustian stre<strong>am</strong> of consciousness, a connection<br />
between sense impressions and memory.<br />
The book has been an eye opener for me on several levels.<br />
I heartily congratulate Sharon Otoo on her first publication and highly recommend this book to<br />
potential buyers.“<br />
(Kundenrezensionen auf <strong>am</strong>azon.de)
„An intense and penetrating account of <strong>the</strong> emotional fallout, secrets and<br />
lies that shadow <strong>the</strong> death of a relationship.“<br />
(Neil Ansell, Autor von „Deep Country”, H<strong>am</strong>ish H<strong>am</strong>ilton)<br />
„Reading this brings flashes of recognition: how it is to be loved and<br />
overlooked, to be thought exotic and scorned, to be adored and ignored- all<br />
at <strong>the</strong> s<strong>am</strong>e time. Sharon Otoo strings us along, spellbound, with fragments<br />
of language that fill us with <strong>the</strong> thought: this is how <strong>the</strong> heart breaks.”<br />
(Fawzia Kane, Dichter und Autor von „Tanties Diablesse“, Waterloo Press)