Hesse Now – Una biblioteca della letteratura universale, 2025 © Museo Hermann Hesse Montagnola
In the spirit of Hesse in search of new world literature
Thursday 23 April 2026, 18.30 · Sala Boccadoro, Via dei Somazzi 4, Montagnola ♿
In 1929, Hermann Hesse published A Library of World Literature, a volume offering practical advice on how to curate one’s ideal personal library. But which books should be essential in a personal library in 2026? Nearly a century later, the literary landscape has changed profoundly. Notably, there is a growing presence of works by women, authors from marginalized communities, and voices from indigenous cultures. This evolution raises a crucial question: what belongs in the contemporary literary canon, and what is left out – and why?
During this event, poet and philosopher Stella N'Djoku, along with special guests, will guide the audience on a journey through time and space, sharing the books that have been most influential to them. Each edition of Hesse Now – Una biblioteca della letteratura universale is an opportunity to symbolically expand Hesse’s library, incorporating works that reflect today’s evolving world.
This edition of Hesse Now – Una biblioteca della letteratura universale is a collaboration with TASIS (The American School in Switzerland). In this way, the project’s international spirit is further strengthened while also opening a perspective on how the younger generation understands, questions, and repositions world literature today and in the future.
The guests of this edition are:
-Gaia Giuliani
-Anastassia Smyslova
-Gáspár Habony
In English
Entrance fee: «Pay What You Want» principle.
The event is open to all.
Stella N’Djoku