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Book premiere in Berlin: Banging Crabs focuses on escape and friendship!
On September 3, 2025, Christian Mitzenmacher will present his debut novel “Knallkrebse” in Berlin. Admission free, registration recommended.
Book premiere in Berlin: Banging Crabs focuses on escape and friendship!
The book launch of Christian Mitzenmacher's debut novel “Knallkrebse” will take place on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at 7 p.m. in the Pablo Neruda District Central Library in Berlin. Admission to the event is free, but registration is recommended. The novel deals with complex social issues and provides insights into the lives of young refugees.
“Knallkrebse” tells the story of the protagonists Tom, a physics doctoral student, and Farid, a 16-year-old refugee boy from Quetta. The two develop a friendship and get involved in things like playing table tennis, skateboarding and swimming in the Isar. These light-hearted activities contrast with the novel's heavy themes of escape, friendship, and betrayal. Under the influence of his friend Farid, Tom begins to raise questions about loyalty and his own goals, while Farid makes a risky decision that tests the dynamics of their relationship.
A look at the author
Christian Mitzenmacher has an impressive academic career, as he is a mathematician and studied at the Technical University of Munich and M.I.T. has researched. He holds a doctorate in operations research and has already received various scholarships, including from the Bavarian Academy of Writing in 2014 and as a finalist at open mike 2016. The author currently lives in Berlin and is a scholarship holder of the LCB Authors' Workshop Prose in 2019.
The novel is considered an important literary testament to the “We Can Do It” era that deals with the identity crisis of migrants in the 21st century. “Knallkrebse” not only illuminates the challenges faced by refugees, but also the complexity of human relationships in a changing social context. The author Academia describes how many migrants experience both positive and negative identity changes in the host country, influenced by their environment and the language of the new country.
Themes of the novel
Tom and Farid also have to take into account the influence of their relationship on the third main character, Laura - Tom's girlfriend - who forms part of their unusual triumvirate. Mitzenmacher's style is described as weightless and humorous, which makes the book more accessible despite the weighty themes. The novel also addresses how escape and the experiences associated with it shape the identity of the protagonists.
If you would like to learn more about the novel, you can attend the book launch on September 3, 2025 in the WerkRaum of the Pablo Neruda District Central Library. Media inquiries can be sent to presse@ba-fk.berlin.de can be sent or clarified by telephone at (030) 90298-2843.