Connecting Minds Book Club: Ben Okri

Event details

This is the first in a new series of events at Expo City Dubai, the Connecting Minds Book Club, in partnership with the Emirates Literature Foundation, which will gather pace on the journey towards COP28, with a focus on the intersection of climate, sustainability and culture. This is also the global launch and early release of Booker Prize-winning author Ben Okri’s latest publication, ‘Tiger Work’, a series of essays focused on climate, the environment and wildlife.

The book is summarised as follows: “In this poignant, timely collection, the renowned Booker Prize-winning author evokes the magic of nature and the urgency of protecting our environment. Twenty thousand years after a catastrophe wiped out the human race, visitors uncover their final messages scattered across the planet, in flooded cities and disintegrating books. These writings reveal the tragedies of people who continued to live as they always did – fearfully, selfishly – even as the end of their world loomed. These haunting stories within a story, together with a powerful selection of poems, fables, and essays, are a necessary reminder of the beauty of the earth and the importance of addressing the climate crisis with clarity, artistry, and passion.”

The event will feature a discussion moderated by Ahlam Bolooki, the CEO of the Emirates Literature Foundation and General Manager of ELF Publishing. This will be followed by an audience Q&A, and then a book signing session. Hard copies of the book will be available for sale at the venue.