Thị Thanh Thảo Trần Discusses Autofictional Novel on Berliner Zimmer Podcast

In the latest episode of the Berliner Zimmer podcast, host Judith Gridl and Klaus Rathje speak with author Thị Thanh Thảo Trần about her autofictional novel 'Menschen wie wir' (People Like Us). Trần, who grew up in Vietnam and moved to Germany at age 13 with her mother, explores themes of dual homeland, displacement, and longing in her work. Her father had preceded them as a contract worker in East Germany shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The novel draws on her experiences in both countries, depicting touching and tragic events amid poverty, alienation, arrival, and new friendships. A sense of longing for her old home and the what-ifs of her life pervades the narrative. In the podcast, Trần discusses the process of writing her own story and how she involved her parents in this creative journey. The episode is part of the Berliner Zimmer series, which features conversations with Berlin-based authors about their writing. The podcast is available on kulturnews.de.