Founded in 1818, the Société de Lecture (SDL) is a cultural institution nestled in Geneva’s Old Town. Housed in an 18th-century building, the SDL serves as a hub for relaxed intellectual exchange. Functioning as a library with an extensive book collection, the Société de Lecture also hosts diverse cultural events, including a full rich program of literary conferences, debates, workshops, and even yoga classes. Notably, it offers a diverse program for children.
Didier van Cauwelaert, awarded the Prix Goncourt and author of more than thirty-five novels, brings a singular blend of literary, human and spiritual inquiry. In conversation with Marie Cénec, he discusses recurring themes in his work: the afterlife, memory, and the boundaries between imagination and reality. He reflects on recent novels that revisit his early writing years and investigate extraordinary phenomena—from plants communicating at a distance to children recalling past lives—offering a generous exploration of creativity and belief.
In French.
Javier Cercas, acclaimed Spanish novelist born in 1962, speaks about his recent work and approach to contemporary history. Author of internationally translated, prize-winning novels (including The Impostor, The Monarch of Shadows and Terra Alta), Cercas discusses his latest book, Le fou de Dieu au bout du monde (Actes Sud, 2025), written after a Vatican invitation that led him to accompany Pope Francis to Mongolia. The conversation explores authorship, faith, secularism and the ethics of writing about living figures.
In French.
Claire Messud, American novelist and former Harvard professor, is the author of acclaimed novels including The Emperor’s Children and The Burning Girl. Her international upbringing informs her writing on identity, family and memory. In conversation with Kasmira Jefford, she discusses her latest novel, This Strange Eventful History, which traces one family’s history across generations, revealing interwoven perspectives, withheld secrets and recurring themes. The discussion examines narrative voice, memory and the ethics of fictionalising family.
The lecture will be preceded by an apéritif at 18:30, offering a convivial start to the evening.
In English.
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