Thursday 7th August
6.30 to 9pm
One wild, exhilarating night in Berlin: a brilliant new novel by one of the most acclaimed writers of our time.
Sister Europe tells the story of one wild night in Berlin, as a ragtag group meet at the Hotel Interconti to celebrate an elderly author’s venerable career (all under the resolute assurance that their wealthy host will provide a free and fancy dinner). Inevitably, boredom, hunger and horniness set in, and the gang – a young trans teen and her father; an ageing publisher and his flakey date; a dog, a troubled heiress and an Arabic Prince – are flung out on an exhilarating odyssey through the city’s shadow and light.
Sophisticated, sexy and exquisitely moving, Sister Europe is a vivid tale of a scene all at sea, and a continent whorled with charm, caprice and the aches of history.
Sister Europe's colourful cast of characters and their saloming adventure through Berlin elegantly engages with topical issues, such as trans rights, racial prejudice and sex in the 21st century.
Zink writes poignantly about Berlin, the weight of European history and its power in the present age.
‘Nell Zink is a writer of extraordinary talent and range. Her work insistently raises the possibility that the world is larger and stranger than the world you think you know’. Jonathan Franzen ‘Zink writes with a joyful recklessness that makes her one of the freshest talents around.’ The Guardian ‘An extraordinary talent… Zink is in the company of not only Jonathan Franzen, but also Donna Tartt, Philip Roth and Tom Wolfe.’ Daily Telegraph
Nell Zink is the author of six acclaimed novels including her debut, The Wallcreeper, described by the Sunday Times as a ‘a slim, strange masterpiece’, the National Book Award-longlisted Mislaid, a New York Times Book of the Year Doxology, and, most recently, Avalon. She has been praised by Jonathan Franzen as ‘a writer of extraordinary talent and range’. She had previously worked as a secretary, with stints in masonry, technical writing, and translating. Her other writing has appeared in n+1, Granta, and Harper’s Magazine. She lives in Berlin.
Samuel Fisher is a writer, bookseller and publisher. His debut novel, The Chameleon (Salt, 2018) was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize, and won a Betty Trask in 2019. His second novel Wivenhoe was published by Corsair in 2022. His third novel, Migraine was published in July 2025. He co-owns Burley Fisher Books in Hackney and is a director of Peninsula Press.