Writing means listening, too – and the children’s and young adult’s literature programme ultimately offers its young readers simply everything. The selection reveals an unmistakable feel for quality. The ten thousand children and adolescents who attended these readings, sold out months before, with their classrooms, let themselves be effortlessly carried away. The work of Guus Kuijer, the grand old man of Dutch letters (and European) children’s literature, is testament to how one cannot always decide between adult and children’s literature. In his slim books he expects things from his readers that in life are demanded of children too. Yet his books are not sad, but rather immensely beautiful. One must describe the terrifying in beautiful language too, otherwise one has no access to readers, says Kuijer, who also claims that as author he does not interfere. “I listen, and then stories arrive like dreams.

What takes place when one reads? We received many different answers to this question at the festival. “A good book draws you out of the crowd,” says David Grossman. “Reading does not make you more intelligent. But something changes in our lives,” believes Aharon Appelfeld and laughs his translucent laugh: “The soul expands a little.” “Who understands the Sleeping Beauty?”, asks Guus Kuijer. “I don’t. Children don’t. But we all experience something.
Sieglinde Geisel, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 19.09.2007

At the international literature festival teachers learn how to make reading enticing for children.
Carolin Benack, Berliner Zeitung, 24.09.2007

And with over 200 events with significantly more than 200 authors from around the world, there remains, in addition, ample room for discoveries during these thirteen days -- exceptional circumstances under which the ilb floods the entire city with literary events.
Kai Schmidt, tip magazine, 22.08.2007

This year’s international literature festival is all set to out-sparkle its predecessors – in ambition, scope and geniality of choices. Besides the high-class selection of prize-winning authors from all continents, the 2007 festival has invited artists such as Willie Perdomo and Sapphire, whose work, whilst not strictly fringe, is far enough away from the mainstream to lend the festival some street cred.
Eve Lucas, ExBerliner, September 2007

And what the international literature festival berlin (for short, the ilb) is good for – the enormous city and its adventurous inhabitants, the (world) literature and its cosmopolitan readers – should meanwhile be considered beyond dispute.
Wieland Freund, Die Welt, 04.09.2007

Despite alleged streamlining, the program is immense and the cornucopia of choice is virtually blind. But that precisely makes for the charm of this feast of literature. (…) There is, however, a danger for the public of events being “sold out”. Whoever cannot experience their idols in the flesh need not drown his or her sorrows at the festival bar – one can form the best acquaintances there. The toing and froing of convergences allows for the discovery of many unknowns. And that alone can tide one over during the forthcoming inescapable winter void.
Sabine Vogel, Berliner Zeitung, 04.09.2007

This year’s international literature festival berlin: a chaotic (some say), wonderful and lively (say others), at any rate vast and colorful series of events, which up until September 16 introduces literary stars, new discoveries and these-writers-must-be-on-stage.
Dirk Knipphals, taz, 06.09.2007

If there can be something like a heterogeneous homogeneity, then this is that, what one comes across at the 7th international literature festival berlin, currently held at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. Or is it a homogeneous heterogeneity? In any case, it is very harmonious and multifaceted, above all the most recent one. (…) What a beautiful and interesting evening at this political festival of cosmopolitanism, with cultural exchange between different grand human beings at eye level.
Meike Hauck, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, 09.09.2007

The individual events are carried out with care and bring uncomfortable political themes astoundingly close to a large audience.
Wiebke Porombka, taz, 11.09.2007

Berlin is a miracle. Visitors stream into the international literature festival for twelve evenings straight. (…) The main thing to celebrate, above all, is that in the festival’s seventh established year this virtually took place amidst chaos-free and professional organization.
Sabine Vogel, Berliner Zeitung, 17.09.2007

This year’s berlin literature festival offered new insights into the poetic imaginations of the globalized world. (…) The berlin literature festival (…) has always looked in both directions, towards good as well as popular literature. (…) The core lies within encounters with those writers whose work has not had record distributions or been on the bestseller lists. Not that one doesn’t wish them success in this country. Yet they write irrespectively of that, without a view of their German audience. They are like voyagers who have just arrived: they bring with them scents from abroad.
Andreas Kilb, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 17.09.2007

Literature’s hearing loss. Unknown names illuminate, known names flicker down, before the audience: The berlin literature festival suspends all rules of operation.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 17.09.2007

Schreiber is, quite simply, an enthusiast (…) and his enthusiasm hasn’t only transmitted itself to his team (…), but has also been transformed into a productivity and professionalism which is evident throughout. That applies to the festival as a whole: the program has been significantly streamlined, and through its connection to the Berliner Festspiele the festival has also received a local concentration, alongside its contents (…) One often meets presenters who are not only dazzlingly prepared, but who interact with the invited authors with real conviction (…) The literature festival’s enthusiasm has acquired shape. It’s lovely that we were invited.
Wiebke Porombka, taz, 18.09.2007

From prison to a cellar and then further, on to Russia and Cuba: the international literature festival berlin has circled the world.
Hans-Peter Kunisch, Süddeutsche Zeitung, 18.09.2007

One can count on nearly all 150 authors for a concentration of experience and aphoristic statements about writing. Above all the section “Literatures of the World” is immune to insipid prose, for the 22 authors were chosen by 11 jurors who come from their region. The voices are unmistakable, the material breathtakingly foreign, and the names, until now, have never been heard. On Poetry Nights one can experience gentle word eruptions...
Sieglinde Geisel, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 19.09.2007

The festival programme astonished with an overabundance that was by all means intentional.
Börsenblatt: “Allende´s Alter Ego“; 21 September 2006

The international literature festival has found its format. The house of the Berliner Festspiele offers precisely the combination of main and off-stages, foyer and garden that is necessary and propitious for taking a stroll through world literature. Hereby, one also comes across writers that have not yet been catapulted into bestseller lists. Even the most refined tomatoes do not ripen in a green house, but in the world’s gardens.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: ”Matured“; 18 September 2006

The festival presents a wide gamut of authors, whose own lives represent, what has become the irremovable sign of our times: they are modern nomads, neither sedentary nor without a home. The ilb has brought the world of these taletellers closer to us. In the hectic moments of the present and in the face of the dominance of the electronic media, the call to reflect, a time for books and stories, even poetry, is immeasurable and indispensable. This is the mission of the international literature festival berlin. […] That there is an audience that counters today’s fast-paced trend and enjoys taking its time for lectures and author discussions has been proven through continuously very well attended events.
Neues Deutschland: “Lust for Diversity“; 16 September 2006

For the second time the festival is consolidated as part of the Berliner Festspiele and it has become more concise, mature, and natural. It does not need exotic venues. It is a reassuring alternative to all the other event orientated reading festivities, which tear their public to aquariums or to the edge of dams. The festival has developed its own character and has grown up to the next stage. Schreibers reading world does not present a self centred product as is the case in most literature festivals. With Schreiber literature is presented as a global village. In the Haus der festspiele a meeting of different reading cultures is possible- something there is not enough of. Using literature that is not found in the trendy book market scene, (a good attempt at this was the portrait of contemporary Francophone literature). And the literature festival provides literary ground work. In times with reducing numbers of readers, the worst Pisa results and a lack of a basic literary knowledge at schools, one cannot praise enough what these events achieve through readings, author encounters and writers workshops in schools.
Die Welt: “Think big instead of small talk”; 18 September 2006

That elating effect of a large festival is created precisely through that overload, that bombardment of so many interesting and possibly important author’s one did not previously know about. [... ] In the section “Children’s and Young People's Literature, which also was from the beginning a supporting pillar of the festival, the only thing that counts is the individual encounter with the author. The school classes occupy themselves for weeks with an author’s work, and the term “promotion of reading skills" is much too artificial to give meaning to what goes on here. [... ] The international literature festival Berlin has become part of the Berlin Autumn scenery
Neue Zürcher Zeitung: "A romance of the cultures"; 18 September 2006

This complex overload is, in fact, a stroke of luck. In Berlin, you can drift through the magic garden of the written word. Literature festivals present not only a challenge to the patience and receptiveness of its audiences, but also a playground for fantasy: everything that is being read is accompanied by an image. A face, a gesture, a play of features, and sentences already bear a very different sound.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: "Out of the window plane"; 12 September 2006

And finally a good, carefully selected programme and something as special as the international literature festival.
Berliner Morgenpost: „Berliner Boheme vorm Balkon“; 11 September 2006

A grandiose, marvellous twelve-day dialogue between writers from all over the world in front of a grand audience. A great dialogue among each other and with time and again surprisingly large number of readers and listeners.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung: “Magnificent Days of Chaos“; 10 September 2006

The comma is back. The distinctive, small symbol, an invitation to pause, to listen, to question, to let your thoughts follow suit; an abduction into the world of fantasy; an engagement with the hilly plains of everyday life.
Neues Deutschland: „Mutato nomine, de te fabula narratur“; 5 September 2006

Since its foundation six years ago, the literature festival berlin has continued to define itself as a political event, a multilingual and intercultural space for reflecting upon the unresolved conflicts of today’s world. Whilst hosting fewer events, this year’s festival impresses with even greater professionalism.
Stuttgarter Zeitung: “Ready for the Money”; 31 August 2006

Barely an important name in contemporary literature is missing: Doris Lessing, Isabel Allende, Jostein Gaarder, Frank McCourt, Jorge Semprún, Margriet de Moor, Tim Parks, Feridun Zaimoglu and Clemens Meyer are all expected.
Neues Deutschland: “The Great Names“; 24 August 2006

A Time to Meet Friends (Who Love Books)
Berliner Morgenpost; 4 July 2006

What most distinguishes a festival from the continuous nourishing programmes of literature institutes is the dazzling array. The visitors remain between enticement and frustration because either way they will miss more than they can attend – whether they opt for the big names (Kenzaburo Oe, William Gass, Friederike Mayröcker or younger stars such as Jonathan Safran Foer) or try and look for the unknown.
Neue Zürcher Zeitung: “Ecstasy for Writers, The International Literature Festival Berlin”; 17 September 2005

A 12-day marathon of readings and talks took place between both appearances [of H.M. Enzensberger, Germany, and Ghcina Mhlophe, South Africa] and the result was through and through positive: full halls, pleasant ambience, relaxed writers and a higher quality of moderators and translators.
Der Tagesspiegel: “Time of the Signs”; 19 September 2005

It will take weeks until the many poems have disappeared that are still sitting behind Berlin street lamps whispering verses in the ears of passers-by. The fifth international literature festival draws to a close today, and many of its events brought literature to every corner of the city in the past eleven days, opening up a new topography of Berlin history of literature.
Berliner Morgenpost: “The World at a Visit to Wilmersdorf”; 17 September 2005

Wonderful was above all the concert of languages. So many voices can not be heard at any other event in Germany. ... Africans, Arabs, Australians and Europeans spoke about literature with the help of many interpreters – for twelve days, Berlin was the metropolis of poetry.
Süddeutsche Zeitung: “Poetry and Politics”; 1 October 2004

Hustle and bustle, richness, quality, these are the characteristics of the very young international literature festival.
Le Monde: “Berlin Open for the World”; 8 October 2004

The international literature festival is one of the biggest literary festivals in the world today and still it centres on individual texts rather than on commercial aspects, as the past years have shown. This year, most of the visitors won't mind running quite breathlessly and unsystematically through Berlin to listen to as many literary voices as possible since the quality is so high.
Berliner Zeitung: “More Text”; 22 September 2004

What's great about the international literature festival is that it is true to its name in every respect. It is genuinely international. And it is a real festival. Almost like during the Berlin film festival, you are tempted to take a few days off and browse through the various sections of the programme. At this festival, you have various opportunities to enjoy yourself and also to make yourself a little bit more clever. The latter is due to the sound interpretation of internationality here, which goes beyond publishing trends.
Zitty: “Foreign Places”; 3 September 2003

This is what paradise would look like for passionate readers. The encounter of well known writers with ones who were only recently discovered is no doubt unique internationally.
Gießener Allgemeine: “'A small miracle' with contemporary writers and classical authors”; 9 September 2003

Good for Berlin: In the third year of its existence, the international literature festival has become an institution – a great event, not only in regard to the quality and the global origin of the writers but also the number of visitors.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: “O Basil of Desire!”; 23 September 2003

The Berlin International Literature Festival was a great success. ... It was more than that, not just another series of events, but a genuine festival with a wild and merry campfire atmosphere. A lot of writers were glad to stay for several days, a lot of visitors come time and time again. ... The public and the authors are equally delighted by Schreiber’s programme ... Schreiber’s enthusiasm has also infected private enterprises, whose involvement surpassed that of state bodies. It has been profitable for both. For two weeks literature has been the talk of the town, and the many new contacts formed in this time between writers may well lead to something truly remarkable.
Die Zeit: “Schreiber's most daring plans”; 26 September 2002

The small, concentrated, and intelligently moderated meetings seemed to make the huge dimensions of the festival quite irrelevant. ... Among the merits of the festival was its lack of simple reliance on crowd-pleasing stars of literature. The “Kaleidoscope” section gathered together a collection of writers largely unknown to the German public. ... We can look forward to the third edition with anticipation.
Die Welt: “Second Literature Festival draws to an end”; 21 September 2002

The dissolving of national and cultural boundaries through the medium of literature is the leitmotiv of the whole festival, perhaps indeed its secret agenda. It is not simply a playground for literature from all around the world, but also a sophisticated concept of world literature, to be understood as a continuous process of exchanging ideas to create new literature.
Stuttgarter Zeitung: “Voices from the Orient”; 16 September 2002

“Berlinale“ now for poems too
Bild, 29.3.2001

Overwhelmingly poetic
Der Spiegel, 28.5.2001

Ulrich Schreiber ... seems to know the ropes when it comes to the pleasures of reading. His edited “Berliner Anthologie” is most definitely a beautiful and felicitous book. We’ll want to read it, the next time it appears on the market.
Jana Sittnick, die tageszeitung, 18.6.2001

Sophiensaele, buzzing and writhing place with all the tongues of world literature!
Süddeutsche Zeitung, 21.6.2001

So there will be, at the end of this festival which started one week ago, once all the guests have departed and their presented texts have faded away, one thing left over: A montage of pictures of this monumental event and its protagonists.
Ursula März, Frankfurter Rundschau, 21.6.2001

Ever author, each in their own respect, is better than the other, and a whole bunch of them stepping foot in Germany for the first time…
Gregor Dotzauer, Der Tagesspeigel, 22.6.2001

Despite its exuberance the first international literature festival in Berlin still provides an atmosphere for concentration… Three poets chat about composition, and the room is full… Not a second is boring… Ulrich Schreiber wants to hold the festival in the Sophiensaele again next year. One can only wish him much success. Just hope that the opening ceremony doesn’t last four hours again. But he already promised that!
Martin Z. Schröder, Der Tagesspiegel, 23.6.2001

With more than 6,000 listeners hearing the readings and lectures, the Literature Festival, Berlin met its expectations!
Berliner Kurier, 25.6.2001

The courage ... to hold back from an audience pleasing concept, paid off. ... In this way, during the ten day festival in Berlin, one could not only become a star but also, for example, get to know the white South African Antjie Krog, Abdourahman A. Waberi from Djibouti and the Australian John Tranter. This dazzling diversity potentiates itself in the festivals “Berlin Anthology”, a book to take a mental stroll through: Each of the 33 writers, who were nominated by a jury, selected on their part 3 poems that, put together, give an idiosyncratic cross section of mankind’s poetry.
Sieglinde Geisel, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 30.6.2001

It was not the usual audience that attends literary events. It was younger, academic and did not come out of obligation.
Der Tagesspiegel, 27 June 2001

The international literature festival was based on the belief in immaculate poetry as a universal language which would even have enabled the building of the tower of Babel. Verses are celebrated here as something holy which can be understood beyond all historical, social and cultural constraints.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: “The Building of The Tower of Babel”; 18 June 2001

During the first international literature festival berlin the city was declared a crossroads for world literature for a week. .... When writers from Uganda or Mexico, China, India or Australia had the chance to speak, remote literary spaces proved to be familiar. Others remained foreign and undiscovered but one had heard the author's voice and hoped for the translation to be published soon.
Buch & Media: “Poetry, Flagged”; 29 June 2001