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“Titoland” coming in March 2012

Ana Tajder — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:25:17 +0000

I am ecstatic to announce that my new book “Titoland: Eine gleichere Kindheit” will be published by Czernin Verlag in March.

“Titoland” is a portrait of Yugoslavia in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Driven by Tito’s charisma and political skills, the country managed the impossible: a balance between East and West, Communism and Capitalism. What appear to be loosely connected childhood memories of Summers on the seaside, travels to “the outside,” or the happiness of wearing a self-made (and therefore unique) dress, create a rich literary tableau before the backdrop of the gradual collapse of Tito’s Empire. The childhood does not end abruptly, but breaks up painfully, piece-by-piece, like the country in which I live. What follows is a leap into the unknown.

Book presentation will be on 2 April in Vienna – stay tuned for details.

Barbie in New York

Ana Tajder — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:12:18 +0000

I’m very excited to announce that I’m going to have a reading in New York:

Wednesday, 25 August 2010, 19:00

Bluestockings Bookstore

172 Allen St.
New York, NY 10002

Link: Bluestocking Events

“Von der Barbie zum Vibrator” is out!

Ana Tajder — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:30:40 +0000

“Von der Barbie zum Vibrator” was presented in Jenseits on 9 June. I had the most fantastic audience ever – a huge thank you to everyone who was there! We had lots of fun.

The crowning of the evening was Roman Rafreider, Austria’s most handsome TV presenter, who announced a report about my book presentation on ZIB 24 (the evening news) – there was something very sexy in hearing this guy pronounce my name…. Made me want to write many, many new books.

The link to the report (which I will not comment on) is below – it starts at 19’08.

ZIB 24

Working….

Partying….

And eating!

Wearing my Book Cover

Ana Tajder — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:58:10 +0000

Today, I was sitting in Palmenhaus and drinking coffee with my friend Ines who is a stylist and an image consulter. And of course we came to the topic “What am I going to wear to my book presentation!!!!???” (Yes, my tussi-cells shrank in past years but will never completely disappear). So we had a long talk about what I would like to, should and should not be wearing. And then I remembered a dress with the same black-and-white pattern like my book cover. Just need to ad something pink and I am wearing my book. Ines really liked the idea, but then she added “Good that you didn’t wear your book cover in Croatia. Or maybe a pity – would have definitely boosted the sales.” I was naked on my Croatian cover.

I think we should make it into a rule that writers wear their book covers. Would make book readings much more entertaining.

P.S. This goes to Martina for her comment on my last post

Book presentation, you’re welcome!

Ana Tajder — Tue, 26 May 2009 10:39:24 +0000

O.K. we have it: time & location & cover!

Tuesday, 9.6.2009 at 19:30

Tanzcafe Jenseits

6., Nelkengasse 3

Von der Barbie zum Vibrator @ Die Zeit

Ana Tajder — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:37:46 +0000

It has been my big honour and privilege to write an article about my own book for Die Zeit, one of the best German weekly newspapers. The topic of the article is “what happened since then” – basically how have things changed in this crazy house, pictured in “From Babrie to Vibrator”, since I’ve written the book. It has been an excellent exercise for me to put in words what I have strongly felt in past years – we sobered up, grew up, became more mature and unfortunately less wild. But that is life, and it is good the way it is.
The article came out yesterday, here the link (in German): Die Zeit

For the PDF version, go to “Press”.

What I read and what I don’t

Ana Tajder — Sun, 10 May 2009 10:07:24 +0000

I was asked by a very cool Austrian magazine called Datum to fill out their monthly column called “I do read & I don’t read”. Seems like an easy task, but when you start thinking about it, it is quite a challenge.
I read
I read books that open my horizons: which I can either learn something from or which transport me into a (better) new world. Mostly, I read non-fiction, and always a few books about one topic that currently occupies my mind. Right now, I am still reading books about fairy tales (Marie-Louise von Franz and Sheldon Cashdan). I just finished reading Iranian female authors (Marjane Satrapi and Azar Nafisi). Before that, I was reading about the influence of the capitalistic system on romantic relationships and human character (Eva Illouz and Richard Sennett). But I always read a few different books. So I am currently also reading “Elite” by Julia Friedrichs, a young German journalist writing about what/who is the German elite and how it is being defined and formed. I am starting to read Eric Berne’s “What do you say after you say hello?”. I don’t read much fiction because it is quite hard for me to find a piece of fiction that grabs, and keeps, my attention. When I do find something I like, I read a few books by the same author. I adore Jane Austin for her virtuosity with language, for her hidden critique of the society and for her happy endings. I read all her books. I like Frédéric Beigbeder, also for the amusing portrait and critique of the society. I read most of his books. I also read most of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s books. And I loved books by Jonathan Carroll. The last master piece of non-fiction I read was Mesa Selimovic’s “Fortress”. The only book I re-read is Lao-Tzu’s Tao Te Ching
And then I read magazines: Falter, Spiegel, Die Zeit. On weekends, I read Der Standard. Every now and then, I make a trip through internet and read The Daily Beast, Huffington Post and Newsweek.
When I want to relax my grey cells, I read Gloria (Croatian gossip magazine) or Gala.
I read my horoscope on www.astro.com. I read Maureen Dowd’s column in New York Times, I read the weather forecast on pg. 602 on Teletext. I read user manuals and package inserts. I read graffiti and stickers when I walk through Vienna. I read e-mails. I read my friends’ status on Facebook.
And I read the tattoo between his shoulder blades.

I don’t read
As said, I don’t read much non-fiction because mostly, it just feels like I am wasting time I could use to learn or experience something new. I don’t read chick-lit, historic novels, romantic novels.
I used to read British Vogue, and sometimes Croatian or French Elle but I stopped because they bore me now. So I don’t read any women’s magazines. I don’t read daily newspapers because I have no time – I check news in internet. I never read the same book twice. I don’t read ads. I don’t read the credits after a movie as much as I’d like to. I don’t read self-help books, because they are either too simplified or repeat theories I’ve already learned elsewhere. I wanted to read Charlotte Roche’s “Feuchtgebiete” to see what the fuss is about but then I read readers’ feedback on Amazon and decided not to. Which, as I heard her read from the book on 3sat, proved to be a good decision. Shocking just for the purpose of it is not necessary. Neither in art nor in literature.
I have unfortunately not read the Bible nor the Koran, which I would love to, but I haven’t found the time yet. I read the Gnostic gospels of Nag Hammadi and they spell bounded me. I’d like to read more of Marcel Proust, Tolstoy and Chekhov so I plan to go back to them one day. My father gave me a collection of English gothic novels, but I didn’t get to read those yet. I don’t read enough of Austrian authors, which I feel I should.
I don’t read the small print (AGBs) and I know I should.
And nothing else comes on my mind. Because I simply don’t.
Link: Datum

Long live literature!

Ana Tajder — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:01:51 +0000

We have a new scandal in Croatia and this one is a fantastic illustration of how masses are being brainwashed into idiots (and they even pay for it) and how our society is facing a complete crash of its values. Each year, a book fair in Pula gives out an award called “Kiklop” for the most sold and read book. This year, the price goes to a lady called, yes: Nives Celzijus. As the name implies, Nives is a starlet with huge implants. Something like Croatian Carmen Electra. She wrote an autobiography about sex&drugs&rock’n’roll in Croatian jet-set, the book sells for only €4 – and it sold in 47,000 copies (!!!!!!). When you consider that Croatia has 4 million inhabitants, this is a mega-mega-mega-bestseller (something like selling 3,5 mio. Books in USA). Now the Croatian Authors’ Association is protesting, the chairman of the award has resigned, some writers returned their “Kiklop”s, and as it seems that it was decided to cancel the award for this year. There are huge discussions, although the situation is clear – it is all about the criteria. You simply have to decide if you will allow porns to compete for awards with art movies…..

Lesson learned: shit sells. In millions.

P.S. The lady came to get her award in black leather and a whip in her hand. And 2 boys in leather strings.

More Tour

Ana Tajder — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:23:29 +0000

Split: Ivica Prtenjaca, writer and my publisher’s PR

Sibenik: Ivo Bresan, a living legend of Croatian literature. It was an honor discussing my book with this man.

The Tour

Ana Tajder — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:18:55 +0000

The book tour was a fantastic but tiring experience. A friend, a great American writer who just finished his tour told me “I think I’d rather have eye surgery on a helicopter than do another book tour.” No, it’s not that bad – we are just a bit exhausted when it’s over. It takes a lot of energy to sit in front of the audience, always with a new moderator who is a very clever person and discuss things like emancipation, crisis of a system, confusion of a generation and your private experiences. Then come the interviews….. But it is extremely rewarding meeting people who are interested in what you do, write and think. I had some great questions from the audience. So here a big THANK YOU to everybody who came and supported me on this great adventure.

And here a task to my readers and friends:

In Sibenik, I was interviewed for the national television by a young and very charming reporter. He obviously contemplated about his questions because he started the interview with a great one: “So, what happens when Barbie finds the vibrator?”

I have to admit I was so confused by the question that I asked them to stop shooting and give me a moment to think. Not very cool, isn’t it?

I still don’t have the answer….

This is why I was thinking: The readers of this blog seem to be clever, witty and fun people, so why not ask you guys to help find a good answer?

So, tell me:

What happens when Barbie finds the vibrator?

Pula: Zdenka Viskovic, a writer who understands my book better than I do. And Vlado Mandic, a journalist from Glas Istre.

Zagreb: Zdravko Zima, a literary critic and a fantastic mind. And Sandra Mlakar, my ediotr.