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Alexander Wells

@ajbwells.bsky.social
2.8K followers 1.7K following 216 posts

Freelance critic/essayist from Aus with bylines at Guardian, Drift, Baffler, Meanjin, etc. Ex-Berliner Books editor, now at The Auflauf sites.google.com/view/ajbwells

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Reposted by Alexander Wells
minor literature[s] @minorliteratures.bsky.social · 21h
BERLIN! ft. @elusiveword.bsky.social @wordkunst.bsky.social Lauren Oyler, Ryan Ruby @davidhering.bsky.social @mortenhoijensen.bsky.social @lucykulwiec.bsky.social Jared Pollen @minxmarple.bsky.social @jamesconwaywriter.bsky.social Susan Finlay, Ann Cotten @gabrielflynn.bsky.social ...
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Rahul Bhattacharya's RAILSONG klingt auch sehr interessant, ich habe es aber noch nicht gelesen
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Helen Oyeyemi's PEACES ist wunderbar (und wahnsinnig)
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
good book
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
einmal für romane, einmal für offener brief game
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
it should be ALEXIS WRIGHT but uh she is not a memoirist
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Ah thank you :) and yes I agree!!!
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
After last year's Nobel went to László Krasznahorkai, I wrote this fun little piece on what I think is his best work—WAR & WAR—for the beloved colleagues at The Diasporist. Also in German translation >> thediasporist.de/life-sentence/
thediasporist.de
Life Sentence – the Diasporist
The Hungarian author's László Krasznahorkai's Nobel Prize win and his love of holy fools and stinky incoherent visionaries.
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
After last year's Nobel went to László Krasznahorkai, I wrote this fun little piece on what I think is his best work—WAR & WAR—for the beloved colleagues at The Diasporist. Also in German translation >> thediasporist.de/life-sentence/
thediasporist.de
Life Sentence – the Diasporist
The Hungarian author's László Krasznahorkai's Nobel Prize win and his love of holy fools and stinky incoherent visionaries.
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Reposted by Alexander Wells
Simon Strick @unddieregel.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Die bild-mehrheit hat für sich eine notsituation konstruiert, auf die sie mit schicksalsentscheidung reagieren muss. Bundes-AfD ist erzählerisch und emotional vorbereitet - ausflucht mit "the left made me do it" inkl. Das ist faschisierung: breite adaption fantasmatischer reaktionsformeln
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Claas Gefroi @claasgefroi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Erinnert ihr euch: »Die Landesverbände, vor allem im Osten, bekommen von uns eine glasklare Ansage: Wenn irgendjemand von uns die Hand hebt, um mit der AfD zusammenzuarbeiten, dann steht am nächsten Tag ein Parteiausschlussverfahren an.« Friedrich Merz, 2021
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
@oschwo.bsky.social @biettetimmons.bsky.social @mathildegm.bsky.social @mercierpress.bsky.social
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Some new reviews up at The Auflauf: on numbers, on dreams, and on mushrooms >>> www.theauflauf.com/p/october-bo...
theauflauf.com
October Books: Duncan, Abou Ghazal, Tannahill
Adrian Duncan’s novel of mathematics and the human, Sara Abou Ghazal and Palestinian life beyond the Nakba, and a trip to Teufelsee with Jordan Tannahill
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
It's almost 100% certain that four members of the "moderate" CDU voted for the AfD candidate—and also against the SPD candidate—for Saxony-Anhalt's new state president. The taboo is being tested. The right is showing its hand. Will the sensible centrist media hold them to account? Do they want to?
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Reposted by Alexander Wells
Nils C. Kumkar @nilskumkar.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Endlich kritisiert mal jemand Linke und Grüne.
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
ach hoping you get your vindication ....... 'world lit' people have really been sleeping on her
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
they gotta give the nobel prize to alexis wright
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
and i will and i will
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
like practically everywhere else in the world, the threat to democracy in Germany is coming not from "extremes on both sides" but rather from a self-radicalising component of the once-respectable "moderate" right
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Hallesches Haus comes to mind too! haha OK grand - fingers are crossed :)
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Prachtwerk comes to mind but I've no idea if they have anything like breakout rooms
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I can't think of anything that big, alas!
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Reposted by Alexander Wells
minor literature[s] @minorliteratures.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
👀
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
isch kontrolliere
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Yossi Bartal @yossibartal.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Es kursiert derzeit online auf Hebräisch ein eindeutiger Aufruf zur Gewalt gegen jüdische Berliner, die den Brief zur Unterstützung von Elif und der Linkspartei unterzeichnet haben; einige bekommen auch Hassnachrichten. Solche konkreten Drohungen erlebe ich in diesem Zusammenhang zum ersten Mal.
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minor literature[s] @minorliteratures.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Susan will be taking part in a roundtable discussion at our Berlin weekender, 16th-17th October ... more details here: minorliteratures.com/minor-incide...
minorliteratures.com
minor incident Berlin 2026
16/10: minor impromptu 1 venue: desirelines books, 19.30 Fraenkelufer 28, 10999 Berlin Subway: U8/U3 Kottbusser Tor; U8 Schöleinstraße; U7 Südstern readers: Alexander Booth is a poet, translator, c…
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
elements of the CDU (and their media allies) are working to stage a situation where they're "forced" into cooperating with the AfD because the alternative is an even more dangerous left. this has been obvious for years. anyone buying the attack campaign against Berlin-Linke needs their head checked
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Aida Baghernejad @aidabaghernejad.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Reminder: Timur Husein, MdA und Antisemitismusbeauftragter der CDU-Fraktion im AGH, hat sich vor weniger als einem Jahr noch öffentlich antiziganistisch & rassistisch geäußert. Die CDU hat Projekten zur Antisemitismusbekämpfung das Funding gekürzt (und in manchen Fällen komplett weggenommen)…
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Mario Sixtus @sixtus.net · 24/09/2026
Kein einziger Konservativer: "Wir müssen die Linke inhaltlich stellen! Ein Gesprächsverbot macht sie nur stärker!"
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
It's revealing where one chooses to extend benefit of the doubt. I do believe Merz is ruthlessly uncaring about Jewish life in Germany, hence his belligerent political weaponisation of "antisemitism", which makes the actual problems far worse, every day, and hollows the critiques that do need making
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
It works! I'm in Germany, maybe that helps. I'm watching now - thanks for sharing. I do wish she were Australia's most famous author haha
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
and if not why not. it cannot be because the chancellorship is irrelevant to Jewish life in the capital
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
but has the Hauptstadtpresse claimed that Merz is incapable of being trusted in government on account of his antisemitic utterances
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
irrelevant, is it, to point out a double standard in the hauptstadtpresse during coalition negotiations that could turn in favour of either a merz-led party or die linke?
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
this made my day!!! 🙏 🤞
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I've never seen anyone from the Linkspartei say anything anywhere near as antisemitic as when Merz said that "the most perfidious form of xenophobia is antisemitism", which can only imply that he thinks Jewish people are (and always will be) by definition foreigners to Germany
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Onur Erdur @onurerdur.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Ich habe in den letzten 24h keine einzige Nachricht in den Medien lesen dürfen, in der nüchtern konstatiert wird, dass am letzten Sonntag ein völlig inkompetenter + korrupter CDU/SPD-Senat, der Berlin weiter kaputt gemacht hat, nach drei entsetzlichen Jahren demokratisch abgewählt worden ist.
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Jan Jasper Kosok @jasperkosok.com · 21/09/2026
Der repräsentative Berlin-Monitor 2025 kommt zu einem ziemlich eindeutigen Ergebnis: Menschen linksaußen und Mitte-links zeigen durchgängig weniger antisemitische Ressentiments als Mitte-rechts und rechtsaußen. Ausdrücklich auch bei israelbezogenem Antisemitismus. berlin-monitor.de/wp-content/u...
berlin-monitor.de
Der Berlin-Monitor 2025 – Berlin Monitor
Die Mehrheit der Berlinerinnen und Berliner teilt demokratische Grundüberzeugungen, allerdings wird die Zustimmung zur Demokratie insgesamt fragiler: Sie ist gegenüber früheren Erhebungen gesunken und...
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Mathilde Montpetit @mathildegm.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
As anyone who knows me is tired of hearing, I am very good at guessing who will win the Nobel prize. This year, though, I needed a bit of inspiration, and I wrote about it for The Auflauf's new SCENE series:
theauflauf.com
SCENE: Mathilde Montpetit, in search of a Nobel pick, goes to Laidak
Anarchists, Ladbrokes, showtunes, and a little bit of literature
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Berlin people involved in writing, reading, living, laughing, and/or loving: Tomorrow we celebrate six months of our new online literature magazine. It's free and there'll be readings plus some chats. Come along and say g'tag!!! www.lettretage.de/programm/6-m...
lettretage.de
6 Months AUFLAUF – Lettrétage
Sep 19, 2026 19:00 Uhr | Eintritt: frei | Ort: Lettrétage, Veteranenstr. 21, 10119 Berlin | Sprache: Englisch
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
TOMORROW www.lettretage.de/programm/6-m...
lettretage.de
6 Months AUFLAUF – Lettrétage
Sep 19, 2026 19:00 Uhr | Eintritt: frei | Ort: Lettrétage, Veteranenstr. 21, 10119 Berlin | Sprache: Englisch
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
unrechtsstaat
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Nora Biette-Timmons @biettetimmons.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
people on this website often complain (correctly) about the death of journalism. here's an easy way to help its rebirth: by supporting independent media in Berlin.
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Berliner Literarische Aktion @berlitak.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Kommt im Oktober: PARATAXE Symposium XIX: AfroBerlin - afrikanisch-literarische Spuren in & aus Berlin...
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Mathilde Montpetit @mathildegm.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
My favorite Auflauf interview of the year about my favorite book of the year. Had a blast talking about modernism, architecture, and baffling mid-century parenting with @robmadole.bsky.social:
theauflauf.com
Rob Madole on Ruth Rehmann: ‘This book rewrites German literary history’
The novelist and translator on his new edition of Ruth Rehmann’s forgotten masterpiece.
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Loved this interview by @robmadole.bsky.social on translating Ruth Rehmann's postwar German classic ILLUSIONS (out now on Faber) >>> www.theauflauf.com/p/rob-madole...
theauflauf.com
Rob Madole on Ruth Rehmann: ‘This book rewrites German literary history’
The novelist and translator on his new edition of Ruth Rehmann’s forgotten masterpiece.
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Nadia Zaboura @nadiazaboura.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Medienanalytische Einordnung: Durch das Framing als vermeintlichen "Streit" verunsichtbart die @zdfde.bsky.social ZDFheute-Redaktion auf ihrem Instagram-Kanal mit Millionen-Reichweite die massive Machtasymmetrie zwischen zwei Bürgern und jenem Staat, der Staatsgewalt gegen sie einsetzen will. 1/7
ZDFheute Instagram Beitrag:

Streit um Gaza-Doku
Israelischer Minister will Regisseuren Staatsbürgerschaft entziehen
Vorwurf: Landesverrat
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Alexander Wells @ajbwells.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
i haven't seen anglophone media really cover the extent to which the AfD has prioritised defunding the public broadcasters (which represents a huge portion of journalism in the eastern states especially)
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Ned Richardson-Little @historyned.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
The explicit plan of many intellectuals on the German far right is not to attack the constitution head on, but to culturally redefine key concepts of democracy, pluralism and rights so that its ethno-nationalist agenda is viewed as common sense.
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