Conversation with Petra Ben-Ari

The literary waters of Aš became noticeably turbulent again in October!

Korean author Han Kang wins Nobel Prize in Literature!

True. At first glance, there is no noticeable connection between this fragile author and the Ašský promontory. But if you browse through the author's books translated into Czech , you will find that all Czech translations are signed by Petra Ben-Ari . And here it is starting to become clear.

Petra has her roots in Aš . After studying at the Aš Gymnasium, she went to Prague, where she graduated in biochemistry at the Faculty of Science of Charles University . She then spent a few moments in a laboratory, but came to the conclusion that she (literally) wanted to go in other directions. So she headed to study Sinology at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University . She continued her studies for a while in Italy and China. And it was while studying in China that she got a taste of the neighboring Korean culture so much that she decided to move for the last time – to Seoul National University , where she studied comparative literature . She now lives permanently in Prague and is dedicated to translating Korean literature.

Her translations have so far published 12 books by various authors . Three books by the aforementioned Nobel laureate Han Kang have been published by Odeon Publishing House, and in just a few days (February 19, 2025), her fourth book, I Will Not Say Goodbye Forever , will be published. Petra was nominated for the Magnesia Litera Award in 2019 for her translation of the book Where the Grass Blooms by the same author.

We are very happy that Petra accepted the invitation to her hometown library, which she has often visited since childhood and where she built such a fundamental relationship with books.

The public discussion, to which you are cordially invited, will take place on March 13, 2025 in the adult section from 5 p.m. Tickets (presale 80 CZK / on the spot 100 CZK) can be purchased at the Aš Infocenter.

The following morning, two more discussions will take place, which are intended for students of the seventh and eighth grades of the Gymnasium in Aš .

You can read one of many interviews with Petra here .