Reading festival in Mainz: Above Earth, Below Heaven combines literary friends!

Reading festival in Mainz: Above Earth, Below Heaven combines literary friends!

On May 8, 2025, the tension in the literature scene is becoming increasingly noticeable, especially with a view to the reading festival "Mainz reads a book". This special event takes place from June 7th to 14th, 2026 and is devoted to a novel that both emotionally touched and stimulates exchange. The chosen text is "above earth, below heaven" by the Austrian-Japanese author Milena Michiko Flašar, who was published by Wagenbach Verlag. The festival aims to explore the topics of loneliness and encounter, whereby the Kodocushi cases, which means as much as lonely dying, are addressed, a phenomenon that appears in Japanese society.

At the center of the novel is the protagonist Suzu, a young woman who lives in a Japanese city and finds herself in everyday life. The first event, which is the start of the festival, will take place on September 9, 2025 at 7 p.m. in the Haus der Jugend Mainz. The opening event of the festival itself will be held on June 7, 2026 in the small house of the State Theater Mainz. From May 12, 2025, press copies of the novel will be available in participating bookstores, which are supported by Mainz's bookstores, schools and other institutions.

Milena Michiko Flašar in the spotlight

Milena Michiko Flašar is currently also being recognized for her literary achievements, because on May 26, 2025, she will receive the A and A Cultural Foundation's literary prize for her remarkable prose. The award ceremony takes place in the Red Salon of the Volksbühne on Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz in Berlin at 8:00 p.m. Flašar, born on March 31, 1980 in St. Pölten, has attracted significant attention with her novels such as "I called Him a tie" and "Mr. Katō Plays Family" and often addresses loneliness, loss of meaning and dealing with death in modern Japanese society. This happens with a mixture of unemotionality, understatement and subtle humor.

The award ceremony, which takes place on the 15th anniversary of the cultural foundation, is led by Stefan Gmünder, a renowned Swiss literary critic and author. Gmünder is known for his work in the field of literary criticism and has already received significant awards. The event is also accompanied by a reading of Flašar's texts, presented by the actress Sophie Rois, and musically accompanied by the Koto player Ritsuko Takeyama.

a festival full of possibilities

The reading festival "Mainz reads a book" is organized every two years by the Mainz association reads, which was founded in 2019. The aim of the association is to bring literature to life and to promote socially relevant topics by reading together. The events are supported by various actors from the cultural scene, including bookstores, schools, libraries and private individuals.

Current information about the festival will be available on the website www.mainzliest.de . Interested parties can also contact us directly by email to post@mazliest.de . The festival promises an inspiring experience that underlines the importance of literature in today's society.