Japanese author Mieko Kawakami will appear with translators Sam Bett and David Boyd online as part of the Pittsburgh International Literary Festival on May 18.
Mixing wry humor and riveting emotional depth, Mieko Kawakami is one of Japan’s most important and best-selling contemporary writers. She exploded onto the cultural scene first as a musician, then as a poet and popular blogger, and is now an award-winning novelist. Her first novel to be published in English, Breast and Eggs, was rated one of Time Magazine’s 10 best books of 2020. The novel is a radical and intimate portrait of contemporary working class womanhood in Japan, recounting the heartbreaking journeys of three women in a society where the odds are stacked against them. Hear from Mieko Kawakami and her translators live to discuss Breast and Eggs and celebrate the launch of Kawakami’s next, highly anticipated English release, Heaven. LitFest 2021 marks the novel’s debut event—an evening not to be missed!The one-hour talk starts at 8:00 pm; it is free and open to the public, but registration is required.