When does the reading with Tash Aw take place?

The event will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 20:00 to 21:30.

Where does the festival opening take place?

The reading will be held in Hall X of Gasteig HP8 at Hans-Preißinger-Straße 8 in 81379 Munich.

In what language will the event take place?

The reading and discussion will be in English.

How much does a regular ticket cost?

The regular ticket price is 16 euros. Discounted prices are also offered by the organizer.

Who moderates the evening?

The discussion with Tash Aw will be moderated by Tobias Döring.

Is the venue accessible?

Gasteig HP8 has accessible entrances and barrier-free sanitary facilities. The Barrier-Free Service of Munich Ticket is available for individual assistance.

Tash Aw reads The South Munich 2026

Name: Festival Opening: Tash Aw, The South
Start: 2026-11-07T20:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-11-07T21:30:00+01:00
Location: Gasteig HP8, Saal X

Tash Aw opens the Queer Literature Festival Munich

With an English reading from his novel The South, Tash Aw opens the Queer Literature Festival Munich on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Gasteig HP8. The evening combines literary experience, author encounter and moderated discussion about love, family, heritage and the changes in society.

A story between desire and decay

At the center of The South is sixteen-year-old Jay, who travels with his family to southern Malaysia in the late 1990s. After the death of his grandfather, the family takes over a once-thriving farm, whose fields suffer from drought, disease, and ongoing decay. As Jay works the land with Chuan, the son of the farm manager, a tender yet consequential love story develops.

Tash Aw's precise art of language

Tash Aw combines coming-of-age, family history, and social observation in his novel. His narrative leads from the intimate experience of young love to larger questions of origin, class, nature, and responsibility. The reading makes audible the linguistic craftsmanship of an author whose work is known for its literary quality and its precise observation of Malaysia.

An author of international standing

Tash Aw was born in 1971 in Taiwan and grew up in Kuala Lumpur. He studied law and creative writing in the UK. His debut novel won the Whitbread First Novel Award and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. Several of his novels have been nominated for the Booker Prize, and The South was on the 2025 Booker Prize longlist. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages.

Reading and discussion in Hall X

The event will be held in English and will be moderated by Tobias Döring. The program includes the reading from The South as well as a discussion about literary writing between personal memory, queer experience, and social change. The event will run from 20:00 to 21:30.

Conclusion: Literature as immediate encounter

This festival opening promises a concentrated reading atmosphere and an intense insight into Tash Aw's contemporary literature. Anyone wishing to experience the voice of an internationally awarded author live and delve deeper into the cultural discourse surrounding The South will find a special start to four days of the festival at Gasteig HP8.