Join Berlin-based author Khuê Phạm for an intimate literary evening as she reads from Brothers and Ghosts, the newly translated English edition of her debut novel. Moderated by Dr. Berit Ebert of Bard College Berlin, this reading offers a rare chance to hear directly from Phạm about her compelling exploration of displacement, family, and the long shadow of history.

About the Novel

Phạm's novel traces Kiều's life navigating between two worlds—never fully belonging to either. When an unexpected message arrives from her estranged uncle, buried family histories begin to resurface. Her father and uncle have not spoken in decades, their silence rooted in the Vietnam War's deep wound. A reunion in California forces these long-suppressed tensions and memories into the light, revealing how war's impact reverberates across generations.

The Evening

Through her reading, Phạm invites listeners into an intimate meditation on identity, memory, and displacement—themes that resonate deeply in Berlin's diverse literary landscape. This is an event for anyone drawn to nuanced storytelling and cross-cultural perspectives.

Co-hosted in partnership with Bard College Berlin and Smolny Beyond Borders.

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