April meeting of the Central European Book Club

In April, we will be looking at László Krasznahorkai’s book “The World Goes On”. We will be discussing how its characters navigate the tangled web of conflicting narratives and the situations in which they find themselves entangled. We will consider whether, in the face of the Hungarian writer’s catastrophic vision of the world, the efforts of the individual still have any meaning in his view.  

21 April 2026, 18.00

The meeting of the Central European Book Club at the bookshop on the first floor of the Ravens House will be led by Daniel Warmuz.

About the book

Last year’s Nobel laureate has accustomed readers to literary visionaryism, painting a pessimistic picture of the world and bearing witness to an oppressive, apocalyptic reality. Similar themes can be found in the collection “The World Goes On”, whose characters – entangled in a history and a web of events over which they seemingly have no influence – desperately seek the meaning of their own existence. László Krasznahorkai examines humanity and its contemporary condition, set against a broad social, cultural and natural backdrop.

Amidst the tangle of narratives in Krasznahorkai’s work, the characters wander and seek their place in the world, yet it constantly eludes them, for it is itself in perpetual motion and subject to ceaseless change. But is it man who flees from the world and from himself, never having known peace? The efforts made by individuals seem futile, but perhaps this is precisely where the longed-for freedom lies? The intricate structure of the book provokes constant searching and the asking of questions to which there are no easy answers.

László Krasznahorkai: ‘The World Goes On’, trans. Elżbieta Sobolewska, Czarne Publishing House, 2025.

Presenter:

Daniel Warmuz – a Hungarian and Polish language specialist, translator, researcher and populariser of Hungarian literature. He is the author of academic articles, essays and reviews. He translates prose, poetry and drama. His translations include the reportage book “Zimne crematorium” (2025), Zoltán Lesi's “Skok wzwyż” (2021) and Tibor Noé Kiss's “Incognito” (2017). He is the winner of the Adam Włodek Award (2019) and the Angelus Central European Literary Award for his translation of Zoltán Mihály Nagy's poetic novel “Szatański pomiot” (Satan's Spawn) (2022). He lives in Krakow and visits Budapest.

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The ICC will enrich its offer with many innovative events thanks to the project “Modernisation and adaptation of the ground floor of the Ravens House and renovation of the technical infrastructure of the International Cultural Centre in Krakow”, worth PLN 13,541,096.08. This project received PLN 8,744,388.51 in funding from the European Union's European Funds under the FEnIKS programme.

Round table meetings (tastings, discussions and lectures on the cuisine of nations and regions), workshops with elements of sensory perception, city quests, comic book and innovation workshops, as well as meetings of the ICC Youth Council – these are just some of the innovative events offered by the ICC thanks to the implementation of the FEnIKS project!