Addional information on Abbas Khider

Jörg Plath, Deutschlandradio, 02. February 2009
»Der falsche Inder« successfully combines social satire, autobiography and political prose of
high literary quality.
Gerd Bedszent, Ossietzky Magazin, March 2009
A short novel which draws together big issues, Oriental adventures, eroticism and wit with a
true story, since Abbas Khider has used much of his own biography for this book. Impressive.
Literaturkurier, 26. January 2009
In some parts, the novel »Der falsche Inder« resembles a factual report because of Khider’s
dry tone. Mostly however, Khider’s first-person narrative sounds almost like a fairy tale –
poetic and full of wonderful happenings. The ease with which the author moves through time
and space also gives the impression of a fairy tale... Khider does not dwell on the horrors of
his flight, and even recounts funny and ludicrous encounters, yet the reader still senses the
gravity and cruelty of the fight for survival.
Martina Sulner, Hannoversche Allgemeine, 5. January 2009
In his debut novel »Der falsche Inder«, Khider describes an odyssey in search of supposed
freedom. He does this however with a most artistic flourish: an Arabic manuscript on a
German train. It recounts eight times in different ways the life-story of the person who finds it.
Complicated? Maybe. But also humorous, sad and strong.
Szene Hamburg Magazin, January 2009
Thrilling for everyone, including younger readers, who want to grasp what it means to be a
refugee.
Greenpeace Magazin, January 2009
The author masterfully uses closeness to and distance from the events and the reader’s
feelings, and yet at no point does the reader feel emotionally exploited. It’s a thrilling, almost
unbelievable but at the same time very credible story, which subtly evolves over the 150
pages. Khider takes the reader with him every step of the way until the very last page. He
proves with this book that he’s not only a lyrist, but also an outstanding narrator, who
commands words and form like a virtuoso. We eagerly await his next work.
Sabine Seip, Media Mania, December 2008
Because Khider entertains us and because his concise style does not allow for pity, his story
moves us all the more and gives us a new perspective on ›refugees‹: they become individuals
again.
Ines Kappert, Die Tageszeitung, 29. November 2008
At the end of Abbas Khider’s novel we are back at the beginning. Between the two there is a
story worth reading and discovering which does not resort to tugging emotively at the
Edition Nautilus
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