Reading with Mia Gatow from “Rausch und Klarheit”

As part of the exhibition Bittersweet Symphony, Berlin-based author Mia Gatow will read from her book Rausch und Klarheit: Der Alkohol, meine Familie, die Gesellschaft und ich. In it, she weaves her personal story into a broader societal exploration of alcohol: she tells of a family shaped by generations of alcohol dependence, of her own relationship with intoxication and excess, and of her journey toward a sober life.

How does alcohol shape people’s lives and relationships? Why is drinking so socially accepted—and what happens when someone steps outside that social norm? Gatow’s personal perspective broadens the questions also explored in Bittersweet Symphony: How does addiction affect the people closest to those struggling with it? Where do responsibility and care lie—and where are one’s own boundaries? At the same time, the evening turns its attention to a society in which alcohol is ubiquitous, yet problematic consumption is often treated as a taboo.

The evening will be moderated by Jenny Bühler, owner of the Kreuzberg bookstore book affairs.

The event will be held in German.