As Switzerland's largest book and literature festival, "Zürich liest" is a permanent fixture on Zurich's cultural agenda at the end of October. Over the course of six days, a total of around 200 events will take place, inviting people to read, listen and join in the discussion. Almost 90 cultural institutions, bookshops and publishing houses in Zurich and the surrounding area will be the setting for literary events. Over 400 authors, musicians, presenters, actors, etc. are involved. The supporting association is the non-profit Zurich Booksellers and Publishers Association, founded in 1865.
Christiane Hoffmann – the Soviet Union, Ukraine and shattered dreams
24 February 2022: Russia invades Ukraine. But on this day, Christiane Hoffmann receives further tragic news. One of her closest friends has taken her own ...
22.10.2026
18:00
Zürich liest
The Art of the Column. ‘NZZ-am-Sonntag’ writer Manfred Papst presents his book ‘Kopf und Kragen’
Manfred Papst’s ‘Zugabe’ column has been appearing in the ‘NZZ am Sonntag’s’ cultural supplement for 24 years. For the book *Kopf und Kragen*, ...
22.10.2026
19:00
Zürich liest
Sasha Filipenko – A conversation about elephants, politics and other obstacles
One day they’re just there. As if out of nowhere, they suddenly appear in the city, standing in the streets and squares, living amongst the people and ...
22.10.2026
20:00
Zürich liest
Stability and Instability – ‘Stoff aus Luft’ with a live episode on the theme of ‘vertigo’
What are texts beyond the written word? How are they structured, how do you capture them, and what do they convey? ‘Stoff aus Luft’ is a magazine for ...
23.10.2026
18:00
Zürich liest
Shelly Kupferberg – A novel about a fascinating life in Berlin
Martha wanders the streets of Schöneberg, ragged and bedraggled. Everyone knows her, yet no one knows who she really is: a millionaire – but not only ...
23.10.2026
19:00
Zürich liest
‘Of Animals and Other People’ with Lea Schneider
What sets us apart from animals? And what, exactly, is an ‘animal’? In eleven essays, Lea Schneider writes about non-human persons and animism, about ...
