Whether you’re a reader, writer or general word enthusiast, there are plenty of events in the city that will get the pages turning, creative juices flowing or that can help conquer your fear of the blank page. From book launches to readings, writing workshops to collective reading events, these are the best literary events on in Berlin right now.
We order our listings with the soonest events at the top. That way, you’ll never miss out.
SEP 2-6
Hopscotch Pop-Up at 90mil
POP-UP EVENT Hopscotch Reading Room has been homeless since losing its location on Ku’damm at the beginning of the year. It’s been finding support all over the city, though, with pop-ups and spaces hosting its events and rotating collection while it, to borrow the words of owner Siddhartha, continues its exile. It’s the most resilient bookshop you’ll find in Berlin. Committed to representing underrepresented voices and centering anti-colonial, non-Western, diasporic and queer literature, it is well worth supporting. Thankfully, they now have a pop-up you can visit every week. From Wednesday through Saturday, head down to 90Mil from 4pm to 10pm and access one of the city’s most diverse and inclusive literary collections.
- Sep 2-6, 16:00-22:00, 90mil, details
SEP 3
Wounds and Witness
BOOK LAUNCH Edna Bonhomme’s new memoir Tending to Our Wounds explores colonialism and racial capitalism while traversing Berlin, Cairo, Miami, Harlem, New York and Port-au-Prince. Chapters calls it “one of the most necessary books of the year” for how it explores the African cost of enriching a European ruling class and braids history, memoir and politics. Bonhomme’s reputation precedes her; her first book, A History of the World in Six Plagues, was shortlisted for Best Science Book in Austria. Emilia Roig, author of the bestselling Why We Matter: Das Ende der Unterdrückung, will be in conversation with Bonhomme about the common themes of their work, what is actually required for healing and so much more. You can get a signed copy of Tending to Our Wounds after the conversation.
- Sep 3, 21:00, Chapters Bookshop, details
SEP 3-12
International Literature Festival Berlin
FESTIVAL This is the biggest literary event of the year. In fact, it’s one of the most important literature festivals in the world. All your favourite authors have been here one year or another. The 2026 highlights include Nobel laureate Han Kang, renowned Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh and Booker Prize winner Douglas Stuart. Various untranslated and yet-undiscovered writers are also invited on stage. Join book signings, 90-minute round tables and panel discussions, where writers discuss their work, as well as social and political issues.
- Sep 3-12, Haus der Berliner Festspiele, details
SEP 8
Poetry Night I: Poetry in the Neighbourhood
POETRY READING There are plenty of International Literature Festival events we could promote, but this one jumps out as one of the most locally focused. It offers a home-turf insight into Berlin’s linguistic spaces. It features only Berlin poets, so if you click with anyone, you can go out and see them perform again and again. Six international poets — Mátyás Dunajcsik, Juliane Liebert, Dilek Mayatürk, Vanessa Onwuemezi, Awuor Ouma and Carlos Soto Román — will perform in various languages (with translations) over three rounds. During an international festival that invites fantastic writers from all over the world, it’s also nice to listen to the locals who stick around in Berlin after the festival ends.
- Sep 8, 17:30, Berliner Festspiele, details
Berlin Babel Launch Gala
BOOK LAUNCH Berlin Babel: Stories of the city by Berliners old and new is currently on our list of Berlin Books to look out for — and for good reason. The new collection by Katy Derbyshire collates the short stories of 14 different writers who were pushed or pulled to Berlin. In English, it includes translations of eight different languages, all exploring the highs and lows of life in this city, especially as an immigrant. If you want a book all about Berlin from over a dozen different perspectives, this is the one that will show you the true diversity of the land on which we live. Hosted by Katy Derbyshire and Jake Schneider, the launch will include readings, as well as advice on writing about Berlin without cliche and musings on the Berlin books of our future. Curator of our Five Sultry Lakeside Reads article and one of Berlin Babel’s writers, Leon Craig, will be there too!
- Sep 8, 19:30, Ballhaus Berlin, details
SEP 10
Lean Cat, Savage Cat: Lauren J. Joseph in Conversation with Demi Anter
DISCUSSION Writer, teacher and Creative Fruits host Demi Anter will be holding a discussion with Lean Cat, Savage Cat author Lauren J. Joseph at Shakespeare & Sons. The novel follows Charli, a broke, disillusioned Berliner with no idea what she’s doing with her life. If that sounds a bit too relatable, you’re not alone, my friend. In what promises to be a fun, creative talk, Lauren tells us all about her fantastic new novel that depicts Berlin as the chaotic, glittery, spinning disco ball of a city it is. Free and open to all, the wine and literary conversation will be flowing fine.
- Sep 10, 18:45, Shakespeare & Sons, details
SEP 13
BAK14 Desi Hinglish Show
SPOKEN WORD This Hinglish (Hindi and English) performance night leans comical, but poets and storytellers are more than welcome! Their acts include poetry, spoken word and storytelling. This night’s theme is desi, so the whole point is that you don’t have to explain, justify or translate yourself. It’s an open space. So if your writing has a humorous edge, you should sign up. If you’re looking to add some sarcasm to your stories or wittiness to your word-smithery, we can’t think of a better place to get inspired. After all, aren’t comedians the best storytellers of all?
- September 13, 18:30, Karakas, details
SEP 17
Saleem Haddad at Chapters Berlin
READING This will be Saleem Haddad’s only Berlin event this year, so it’s not one to miss. His new novel Floodlines is already labelled as one of the New Yorker‘s best books of the year. It follows three estranged Iraqi-British sisters reunited by the discovery of their late father’s lost paintings. Spanning decades in the midst of the US-led invasion of Iraq, it explores betrayal and a turbulent relationship with homeland. Chapters’ owner Sharmaine will be sitting down with the Stonewall Honor Book and Polari Prize winner, and book signings will take place afterwards.
- Sep 17, 19:00, Chapters Bookshop, details
SEP 18
Lilipad’s Untold Stories
FESTIVAL Refugee-centred library Lilipad is kicking off its children’s literature and storytelling festival, Untold Stories. At no cost, it welcomes all families – especially migrant, BIPoC and queer families – to this multilingual storytelling extravaganza. The programme includes a Turkish-language reading of Bir Sonbahar Öyküsü (An Autumn Story) by Ayşe Pınar Köprücü and a humorous reading by Regina Feldmann from Amma kann nicht einschlafen (Amma Can’t Fall Asleep). Expect a children’s book market, discussions, workshops, music, food and culinary storytelling.
- Sep 18-20, Refugio, Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek and Spore Initiative, details
Girl, Show Me That Body (Of Work): Flinta* Literatur Night #7
Your favourite FLINTA* literature night is back for its seventh rendition of Girl, Show Me That Body (Of Work). This time, they’re exploring metamorphosis, from gender transition to journeying through the womb to the Fall of the Wall. It’s about the risks that come with the liberation of coming out and the promises and loss of crossing boundaries from one state to another. Featuring Joanna Kusiak, Masha Sapizhak, Asta Tall, and Vanessa Gunesch, it’s going to be another great literary night from platformer of migrant and exiled womxn artists, FLINTA*Literatur.
- Sep 18, 20:00, Lettrétage, details
SEP 18-20
Rare Book Week Berlin
BOOK FAIR You know how good it feels to hold a really old book in your hands? Imagine a whole hall full of the most antique, leather-bound tomes you can imagine. Celebrated booksellers are flying in for the occasion, like Peter Harrington Rare Books from London, whose highlights on view and for sale include the original 1927 UK premiere programme for Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and David Hockney’s illustrated edition of Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm.
- Sep 18-20, Kronprinzenpalais, details
THROUGH SEP 22
Photo Book Summer
EVENT SERIES Photo Book Summer is a new exhibition and event series dedicated to the photo book. Organised by musuku – Museum of Subcultures and hosted by the Staatsbibliothek on Potsdammer Str. There are plenty of events to check out throughout the summer, so take a look at the full programme for more info.
- Jul 17-Sep 22, Staatsbibliotek, details
