Reading Kettly Mars, “The Twilight Hour" October 15, 2018
Poster on the occasion of the reading of “Die zwielichtige Stunde. L'heure hybride” by Kettly Mars on October 15, 2018, at the Literaturhaus Villa Augustin in Dresden.
Four hours in the life of François Eric L’Hermitte, known as Rico, a gigolo in Port-au-Prince. For one afternoon, he loses himself in his thoughts and memories as he recovers from a night of heavy partying. Behind his superficial cynicism, the constraints of a society “that forgives a man everything (…), except his poverty” repeatedly come to light. As Kettly Mars sketches the protagonist’s psychological profile with great narrative sensitivity in her novel, she simultaneously develops a precise analysis of Haitian society. It becomes clear that the social divide and societal contradictions of this impoverished Caribbean nation are part of its colonial legacy. The narrative touches on global issues that extend far beyond Haiti.
Kettly Mars is one of Haiti’s best-known contemporary authors. Her works have been honored with numerous awards, including the Dutch Prince Claus Award, the Prix Senghor de la Création littéraire (for *L’heure hybride* / *The Twilight Hour*), and the 2015 Prix Ivoire pour la Littérature Africaine d’Expression Francophone. Her works *Fado*, *Wilde Zeiten*, *Vor dem Verdursten*, and *Ich bin am Leben* have already been published in German.
*Die zwielichtige Stunde*, Litradukt Verlag Trier 2018, translated from French by Ingeborg Schmutte.
WHEN? October 15, 2018, 7:00 p.m.
WHERE? Literaturhaus Villa Augustin, Antonstr. 1, 01097 Dresden
The event was a collaboration between the Centrum Frankreich | Frankophonie at the TUD Dresden University of Technology, the Literaturhaus Villa Augustin Dresden, Litradukt Verlag Trier, and the Institut Français Sachsen.
