Press Release | Berlin, 09/05/2024

The Blue Sofa with Rachel Eliza Griffiths: Reading and Talk in Berlin on October 1

• Rachel Eliza Griffith’s debut novel to be published in German translation by Penguin Random House on September 18
• Actress Cynthia Micas reads from “Was ihr uns versprochen habt” (German title of “Promise”)
• “The Blue Sofa” makes its first appearance in Berlin’s historic Babylon cinema

Berlin, September 5, 2024 – On October 1, Rachel Eliza Griffiths will present her debut novel “Promise” (Penguin Verlag) on the Blue Sofa in Berlin. The American artist, poet and author was last in Berlin in May of this year, when she accompanied her husband Salman Rushdie on the reading tour for his memoir “Knife.”

“Promise” is about the two sisters Cinthy and Ezra, two Black girls growing up in a predominantly white American community in the 1950s, at the beginning of the civil rights movement. Their family is one of two Black families in the small town of Salt Point, and their sheltered childhood comes to an abrupt end when hatred threatens their home and their dreams.

Commenting on her novel, author Rachel Eliza Griffith said: “‘Promise’ is a story whose characters have always existed in American memory. Vice President Kamala Harris has given me hope that our nation possesses the capacity for significant change. My writing is part of the hope that is palpable everywhere that America is ready for a profound reckoning.”

The evening will be hosted by Marie Kaiser (radioeins, rbb). The German text will be read by actress Cynthia Micas, known from various theater, film and television productions, including the globally successful UFA Fiction-produced [Amazon] Prime series, “Maxton Hall.”

Rachel Eliza Griffiths’ debut novel “Promise” was published in the U.S. by Random House in May 2023. Harper’s Bazaar called it “a luminous coming-of-age story set in 1950s Maine”, Publisher’s Weekly writes: “Poet Griffiths’ stirring debut novel shows the insidious reach of racism in the Jim Crow era.”

The Event at a Glance

The Blue Sofa with Rachel Eliza Griffiths
Reading & Talk
October 1, 2024, 7:30 p.m.
BABYLON, Berlin
German reading: Cynthia Micas
Presenter: Marie Kaiser
Tickets: 12 EUR
Further information and tickets can be found here  .

About the Blue Sofa
The Blue Sofa is one of the longest-running and most successful literary formats in the German-speaking world. Since its debut in 2000, more than 3,100 authors have taken a seat on the famous piece of furniture to present their new books at book fairs and beyond. In the past, the format was jointly organized by Bertelsmann, ZDF, Deutschlandfunk Kultur, and 3sat; since 2023, the Blue Sofa has been under Bertelsmann’s sole responsibility with a new concept. The most prominent guests to date have included Nobel Laureates Svetlana Alexievich, Mikhail Gorbachev, Günter Grass, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Herta Müller, Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, Orhan Pamuk, Joseph Stiglitz, Olga Tokarczuk, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Mo Yan.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company with more than 80,000 employees that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the entertainment group RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato Group, Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the Bertelsmann Education Group and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company generated revenues of €20.2 billion in the 2023 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world. Bertelsmann aspires to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.