Supported by the Grant for the Publication of Taiwanese Works in Translation (GPT) set up by the Ministry of Culture, "The Man with the Compound Eyes (複眼人)," a fiction novel by Taiwanese author Wu Ming-yi (吳明益), released its German edition by the publishing house Mattes & Seitz under the title "Der Mann mit den Facettenaugen" in April.
At the invitation of the Cultural Division of the Taipei Representative Office in German, Wu will participate in four events from Aug. 28 to Sep. 8 including the Climate Cultures Festival Berlin, the Berlin International Literature Festival, and a seminar on nature writing at the University of Zurich.
"The Man with the Compound Eyes" was published in 2011 and was selected for the China Times Open Book Award and the PRIX DU LIVRE INSULAIRE. Since its release more than a decade ago, not only has it been sold in 14 countries, including the UK, the US and France, but it has also been adapted for a play "Three Islands" in Poland. In 2021, it was also adapted for theatrical play by the German-French stage director, Lukas Hemleb, and performed at the National Taichung Theater.
"The Man with the Compound Eyes" is a mix of fantasy and realism about an island and the islanders. Wu developed the plot from the news about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, hoping to draw the readers' attention to the planet's ecology and environmental issues. Publisher Mattes & Seitz organized a series of events to promote the profound story. The first stop of the book tour will be at the Climate Cultures Festival Berlin, then Wu will be joining a seminar on nature writing at the University of Zurich, and then attend the 22nd Berlin International Literature Festival.