‍When: Friday, 20th November, 18:00 - 20:00
Where: Denizen Eiswerk

About the Event

Join us for an evening centered around The Happiness Engine, the debut novel by Berlin-based writer Anastasia Shevchenko.

Moving beyond a traditional reading, this event blends select passages from the book with an open, fluid conversation about the themes at its heart—the seductive promises of tech-driven happiness, the pressure to curate a "perfect" life, and the friction between personal authenticity and societal expectations.

Whether you work in tech, navigate the creative arts, or simply find yourself questioning what it truly means to live a good life in a hyper-connected world, come pull up a chair and join the discussion.

About the Book:

In near-future Berlin, Zoe Malkovich has built the life she was supposed to want: a successful career at one of Europe's most ambitious tech companies, a celebrated artist for a husband, and a place in the city's glittering creative elite.

Just as GAIETY's newest invention promises what humanity has always sought - happiness on demand - Zoe's carefully constructed life begins to unravel.

The harder she has worked to become the right person and build the right life, the further she has drifted from herself. As uncomfortable truths about her marriage, her ambitions, and the technology she has helped bring into the world begin to surface, Zoe is forced to question the very ideas of happiness and success that have shaped her life. Now, she must decide what kind of life is worth living, what she must let go of, and what is worth fighting for.

Set against Berlin's worlds of tech, contemporary art, wellness and alternative culture, The Happiness Engine is a provocative novel about our pursuit of happiness, the seductive promise of technology, and the freedom to choose an imperfect life for ourselves.

About the author:

Anastasia Shevchenko is a Ukrainian-Canadian-German writer based in Berlin since 2012. Her writing is shaped by a life lived across cultures and by a long-standing fascination with the question of what makes a good life. Before turning to fiction, she studied communications, cultural studies, and economics, worked in Berlin's startup scene, taught yoga, and built a career at the intersection of business, ethics, and social change. The Happiness Engine is her debut novel. www.the-happiness-engine.com

Cancellation

You can cancel anytime. Please let the team know as soon as possible, so we can plan the evening accordingly.