Nell Zink — Sister Europe

<p></p><p>Naema, an elderly princess dedicated to her pet causes, is in a bind: struck by a malady that maroons her in Montreux, she's unable to host an exclusive gala dinner in Berlin to honor the author Masud al-Huzeil for his lifetime achievement in Arabic literature. Not only is she unable to attend, RSVPs have been slow to materialize, and she's reduced to begging the ancient award winner to find some attendees at the last minute. Masud invites his old friend Demian, a native Berliner, who in turn invites his two best friends: the troubled innocent Livia and an American publisher, Toto, who will do anything for a free meal.</p><p>But Toto doesn't come alone. In tow are his younger Internet date--she's stood him up often enough to be nicknamed &quot;the Flake&quot;--and Demian's fifteen-year-old daughter, Nicole. Not to mention the cop who's been trailing Nicole since she left the red-light district. Presiding over the affair is Naema's infinitely rich, endlessly disaffected grandson, Prince Radi, whose pass at Nicole culminates in an epic midnight food run that changes all their lives.</p><p>With sophistication and tenderness, Nell Zink weaves a vividly colored tapestry of a milieu at odds with itself, taking her trademark ambiguity, daring, and humor to new heights.</p><p><strong>Nell Zink</strong> grew up in the Tidewater region of Virginia. She did a variety of service and administrative jobs before becoming a professional novelist at age fifty. Before then, her publications were confined to an indie rock fanzine and short-lived blog, both titled <em>Animal Review</em>. Her books to date include <em>The Wallcreeper</em>, <em>Mislaid</em>, <em>Private Novelist</em> (two novellas written for her friend Avner Shats), <em>Nicotine</em>, <em>Doxology</em>, and <em>Avalon</em>. Three of her books became <em>New York Times</em> Notable Books, and one was longlisted for the National Book Award. Her writing has appeared in <em>n+1</em>, <em>Granta</em>, and <em>Harper's Magazine</em>. In 2022, she served as the Friedrich Dürrenmatt Guest Professor for World Literature at the University of Bern, Switzerland. She lives near Berlin.</p><p>*recorded 3/29/2025</p>