On the occasion of the fifth European Literature Days in Hanoi, British Council proudly presents a unique British author in the mystery and detective fiction genre for young adults and children, Jasper Fforde.
British author Jasper Fforde, winner of a Wodehouse prize for comic fiction, is an international bestselling author and is possessed of a style which seems tailor made for a passionate cult following.
Born in 1961, Jasper Fforde spent his early career in the film industry. He is the author of several novels which cross over genres, and are a mixture of fantasy, crime thriller, and humorous fiction. They are noted for their literary allusions, wordplay and tight plots. His book The Eyre Affair (2001) was listed in the best-selling works of the New York Times. He uses the internet to add a different level to the books themselves (http://www.jasperfforde.com), and to talk with his fans online.
Amongst Fforde's output are police procedurals featuring nursery rhyme characters; a series for Young Adults about Magic and Dragons set in a shabby world of failing magical powers, and 'Shades of Grey' a post-apocalyptic dystopia set three world orders into the future, where social hierarchy is based on the colours you can see. His next book, 'Early Riser', will be published in the UK and USA early in 2016.
Participating in the European Literature Days in Vietnam 2015, Jasper Fforde will attend as speaker at the book presentation and discussion ‘Mystery and detective fiction for children – An untouched land’ on 8 May 2015 at the Goethe Institute (56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hanoi). His literary style is sure to bring a breath of fresh air and a contemporary look to this genre of literature, particularly as his works are aimed at young readers. With the participation of literary critic Dr. Pham Xuan Thach, the round table discussion hopes to create an open dialog and exchange about this genre of literature as well as its potential in Vietnam.
In the afternoon, Jasper Fforde will join Israeli writer Etgar Keret and Vietnamese writer Di Li to discuss ‘Contemporary society reflected in short stories and novels’ at the Goethe Institute (56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hanoi). Both events are open for the public.
In addition to these engagements, Jasper Fforde will also deliver a creative writing workshop with English learners at the British Council teaching centre in Ho Chi Minh and on 9 May he will join junior high school students at Thuc Nghiem School in a creative writing workshop titled ‘Daydreaming with ink: Write the way you want to write’.