Peter Stamm – When everything began with «Agnes»

Description

With his debut novel «Agnes», Peter Stamm made a literary start in 1998 that still resonates today. The story of a love between a non-fiction author and a physicist, which increasingly dissolves between reality and fiction, suddenly made the then little-known writer known to a broader readership. In the program format «The Beginning», we look back to the start of an extraordinary work. How did «Agnes» come about? What themes, motifs, and questions that still occupy Peter Stamm today are already embedded in this first novel? And how does the author, almost three decades later, look back on the book that marked the beginning of his literary career? Peter Stamm, born in 1963 in Weinfelden, is one of the most important German-speaking authors of our time. His novels, stories, and essays are read worldwide and translated into numerous languages. Most recently, the story collection «Auf ganz dünnem Eis» (2025) was published, in which he once again explores the boundaries between reality and imagination. However, the focus of the conversation is not the entire body of work, but that early moment when everything began: «Agnes».

Highlights

• Conversation with Peter Stamm about his debut novel «Agnes»
• Reflection on almost three decades of literary development
• Venue: Cabaret Voltaire, Zurich

General Information

Peter Stamm reflects in this event on his debut novel «Agnes», published in 1998. The author discusses the themes and motifs that still occupy him today and provides insights into the creation process of his first work.

Location

Spiegelgasse 1, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland

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