San Francisco’s annual literary festival Litquake returns from October 9 to 25, 2025, bringing together hundreds of authors, poets, and storytellers across the city and beyond. For more than 25 years, Litquake has stood out as the Bay Area’s most vibrant literary happening, mixing international voices with local talent in readings, conversations, and performances across bookstores, theaters, bars, and unexpected venues.
This year, French literature takes the spotlight with the presence of Thomas Schlesser, an art historian, critic, and novelist celebrated in France as one of the most important cultural voices of his generation. His novel Les Yeux de Mona (Mona’s Eyes) has become a publishing phenomenon in France and is now reaching international readers in translation.
Thomas Schlesser and Mona’s Eyes at Litquake
Thomas Schlesser’s bestselling novel Les Yeux de Mona (Mona’s Eyes) is both a moving story and a journey through art history. It follows Mona, a young girl who is gradually losing her sight, as her grandfather takes her each week to discover a masterpiece before her vision disappears completely. Over the course of 52 encounters with works by artists ranging from Leonardo da Vinci to Frida Kahlo, Mona learns not only about art but also about life, love, and resilience. Blending fiction, philosophy, and the history of painting, the novel has been described as a love letter to art and humanity, touching readers far beyond the world of museums. Schlesser will present the book at Litquake on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, in conversation with Tausif Noor, curatorial associate at BAMPFA
Villa Albertine’s Support
Schlesser’s U.S. tour is supported by Villa Albertine, the French cultural institution dedicated to artistic and intellectual exchange between France and the United States. His presence at Litquake highlights Villa Albertine’s mission to showcase contemporary French voices and connect them with American audiences.
Why You Should Attend
For Bay Area readers, this is an exceptional opportunity to hear from a French author whose work bridges literature, philosophy, and the history of art. Whether you are a Francophile, an art lover, or simply passionate about powerful storytelling, Schlesser’s event promises to be one of the highlights of Litquake 2025
Event: Mona’s Eyes: Thomas Schlesser’s Epic Journey Through Art History
Date: Thursday, October 23, 2025
Address: Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley – @ 1 Lawson Rd, Kensington, CA 94707
Tickets here
More information on litquake.org
