Tracy Metz
Tracy Metz (1954) is a journalist, author, presenter, and podcast maker. Originally from California, she moved to Europe after her studies, where she entered journalism in the Netherlands. Since 2013, she has been the director of the John Adams Institute, an independent platform for American culture in the Netherlands. She writes for NRC and De Architect. Her latest podcast, Future 400, explores the cultural exchange between the Netherlands and America, marking the 400th anniversary of the Dutch landing on Manhattan.
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James Baldwin, A Son of America:Â In honor of James Baldwin's 100th birthday
With: Lexter Woodley, Manik Sarkar, Simone Atangana Bekono, Tracy Metz
'Not everything we face we can change. But we cannot change anything without first facing it.' - James Baldwin
In this installment of the Writers Series, we turn our attention to one of America's greatest writers, James Baldwin. This fall, De Geus Publishers released new translations of Giovanni's Room and Notes of a Native Son, translated by Eefje Bosch and Manik Sarkar. Both books have lost none of their topicality, and it is very interesting to look at today's U.S. based on Baldwin's essays from A Son of America. Simone Atangana Bekono will provide Baldwin's literary voice and Tracy Metz the look at America.
Simone Atangana Bekono, as a fan and expert on James Baldwin, will translate Baldwin's voice and reflect on his work. Tracy Metz represents the European perspective on America, particularly in light of Baldwin's writings. How is the U.S. faring with the upcoming elections?
Lexter Woodley will moderate the conversation. She is a speaker, hostess, presenter, actress, headhunter and more. With a background in Law and Journalism, Lexter also has a doctorate in Gender Studies. Translator Manik Sarkar will read from Notes of a Native Son.About Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin:
James Baldwin's nonfiction debut was published in 1955 when he was thirty and established his name as an inescapable thinker. Written in the 1940s and 1950s, the ten culturally critical and autobiographical essays depict a country in which social relations were beginning to shift cautiously. In highly perceptive prose of great beauty, Baldwin explores with anger and empathy what it means to be of color in America and Europe.
'Milestones in essay writing, of great power and beauty.' - The Guardian, 100 most important nonfiction books of all time (#26)
'I wish I could press this book into the hands of every American - actually every person.' - Celeste Ng
Simone Atangana Bekono is a writer of prose and poetry. She has published columns and essays in various media and is an editor at De Revisor. In 2016, she graduated from ArtEZ with the collection Hoe de eerste vonken zichtbaar waren (How the first sparks became visible), which won the PoÃ"ziedebuutprijs Aan Zee. Her debut novel Confrontaties (Confrontations) (2020) won multiple awards and was shortlisted for the Libris Literature Prize. In 2022, she wrote the novella Zo hoog de zon stond (As high as the sun stood), and her second poetry collection Marshmallow was published in 2024. Her work has been translated into English, German, French, Spanish, and Turkish, among other languages.
Tracy Metz is a journalist, author, presenter, and podcast maker. Originally from California, she moved to Europe after her studies, where she entered journalism in the Netherlands. Since 2013, she has been the director of the John Adams Institute, an independent platform for American culture in the Netherlands. She writes for NRC and De Architect. Her latest podcast, Future 400, explores the cultural exchange between the Netherlands and America, marking the 400th anniversary of the Dutch landing on Manhattan.Dr. Lexter Woodley is a lawyer and journalist with bachelor's degrees in Social Legal Services and Journalism, as well as a master's in Law. She earned her PhD in Gender Studies at Birkbeck, University of London, focusing on career women. As the founder of Dutch Einsteins, an international headhunting firm, she speaks at major career fairs such as FRED Expo and The Dutch Career Days, and regularly conducts workshops and lectures, particularly during the month of International Women's Day.
Manik Sarkar is a literary translator from French and English, working on authors such as Philippe Claudel, JoÃ"l Dicker, Hisham Matar, Kamel Daoud, and, together with co-translator Eefje Bosch, James Baldwin. Additionally, he is a board member of the Vertalersvakschool (School for Translators). In April of this year, his debut novel Ossenkop was published, and it has been nominated for the Bronze Owl award for best debut of 2024.
This Writers Series program is in Dutch
After the event, there will be a book sale by De Vries Van Stockum, along with an opportunity for book signing.
Programme curated by Ilonka Reintjens (Writers Unlimited)
Writers Series: James Baldwin, A Son of America â€" Simone Atangana Bekono and Tracy Metz in conversation with Lexter Woodley. With reading by Manik Sarkar.
Wednesday 9 oktober 2024, 20:30-22:00 hr.
Centrale Bibliotheek Podium B, Spui 68 2511 BT Den Haag
Writers Unlimited organises the Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague every year in January (2025 dates: 23-26 January) and monthly Writers Series programmes throughout the year at various locations in The Hague, including the Central Public Library (Centrale Bibliotheek) The Hague. The festival, featuring more than 100 writers, poets, spoken word artists and musicians from the Netherlands and abroad, will take place over four days at venues including Theater aan het Spui, Filmhuis Den Haag, Paard, Koninklijke Schouwburg, neighbourhood libraries, Hague universities and secondary schools.
