Limmat Verlag is an independent Swiss publishing house based in Zurich, renowned for its commitment to high-quality literature and non-fiction. At a recent literary festival in Solothurn, we caught up with Larissa Waibel, Co-editor and Head of Rights, to discuss some of the publishing house’s authors, its commitment to championing distinct and diverse voices, and her own role at Limmat Verlag.
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…we are genuinely searching for the most unique and promising voices we can find, and we pursue that search very actively. We have a particular interest in debut authors and first novels.
Larissa Waibel
What do you see as distinctive about Limmat Verlag, and what kinds of stories or voices are you particularly drawn to publishing? How did you come to work there?
I studied German, as well as German and English literature, at university. I had always loved reading, but I was equally fascinated by how books are made: who decides what gets published, and how books come into being in the first place.
I applied for an internship at Limmat Verlag, and that was my first real immersion into the world of publishing. I learned everything I know there, especially about how a text comes alive. I’ve now been with the publishing house for six years and have gradually grown into different roles. Because we are a relatively small publisher, I’ve had the opportunity to experience many different aspects of publishing. At one point I worked simultaneously as an editor and head of rights, and I’m now one of the co-editors. Even after six years, I’m still learning something new every day.
What’s special about Limmat Verlag on the literary side is that we are genuinely searching for the most unique and promising voices we can find, and we pursue that search very actively. We have a particular interest in debut authors and first novels. Our aim is to stay with writers as their careers develop and to make a long-term commitment to their work.
In recent years, we’ve published many women writers. That wasn’t the result of consciously avoiding male authors; rather, it’s simply because so many outstanding texts by women came our way. In terms of subject matter, almost anything goes, but what we are truly looking for are distinctive literary voices.
For readers in the English-speaking world who may be less familiar with contemporary Swiss literature, which recent Limmat titles or authors would you especially recommend, and why?
Among our authors is Usama Al Shahmani, whose writing has a very distinctive character. His work often weaves together history, personal experience, and family stories. His novel ‘A Song Sleeps in the Depths of the Tigris’ (In der Tiefe des Tigris schläft ein Lied) explores a hidden family history that leads its protagonist from Zurich to Baghdad and into the forgotten story of Iraq’s Jewish community. It is an exploration of exile, intergenerational trauma, and the ways in which lives are shaped by larger historical and political forces.
There is also Julia Weber, the author of ‘Because I am Ruth’ (Weil Ich Ruth Bin). It was great to see her attract such a big crowd for this morning’s reading in Solothurn. The Ruth of the title is a very unusual person. Like her mother and grandmother before her, she is born covered in fur, which she loses at the end of childhood. She also possesses ‘the power’: she can summon storms, dry up streams, and move objects. Ruth possesses extraordinary magical powers, including the ability to transform people into animals, offering them escape from the burdens of everyday life.
I’d also like to mention Meral Kureyshi, who has an especially delicate way with language. She is a poet – I think of her novels almost as book-length poems. She works beautifully with repetition and sound, and has an exceptional ability to create atmosphere. Her most recent book, ‘We Were Never in the Sea’ (Im Meer waren wir nie), was selected by the New Books in German jury and described by you as appealing to readers of Rachel Cusk and Deborah Levy.
Sarah Elena Müller also comes to mind. Her novel ‘Picture Without Girl‘ (Bild Ohne Maedchen) was selected by New Books in German. The themes in her work can be quite dark, but that darkness is balanced by humour and by her very particular way of seeing the world. Picture without Girl, tackles the subject of child abuse from an unusual and thought-provoking perspective. Written in spare prose that implies more than it tells, the novel blends references to myth and superstition with a modern, cinematic treatment.
People from all four language regions of Switzerland are here, alongside representatives of what has come to be known as the ‘fifth language’, that is to say all the other languages in which authors in Switzerland write.
Larissa Waibel
The Solothurner Literaturtage is one of the key events in the Swiss literary calendar. What role does the festival play in supporting contemporary Swiss writing and fostering connections?
What’s wonderful about the Solothurn Literature Festival is the sheer variety of multilingual events. People from all four language regions of Switzerland are here, alongside representatives of what has come to be known as the ‘fifth language’, that is to say all the other languages in which authors in Switzerland write. Bringing all these people together in one place creates fertile ground for new connections. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to discover writers you might not otherwise encounter.
Larissa Waibel photo credit Tobias Garcia
