Hans Jakob Helms’ critically acclaimed collection of short stories "The Genevan Dance", subtitled "Stories from the World", gives us a rare glimpse into the world of the politicians and top officials who travel around the globe to attend exclusive conferences and meetings about the future of the world. The reader is also shown around the distant corners of the earth where the little guy is struggling to be heard –often in vain. The six stories of "The Genevan Dance" play out in the area of tension between these two worlds. Together the stories paint a picture of a man who – in a world of dreams, intrigues and serious political negotiations – develops into what one critic has called "the official man". What sets the book apart is the author’s own acquaintance with the characters that appear in the book and the authenticity that springs from the fact that we meet the characters in real conferences and meetings.
The short stories of "The Genevan Dance" can be read separately or as a bildungsroman about the inner life and personal development of the main character who gradually comes to a deeper understanding of the agendas and intrigues the international world order consists of and eventually joins in the dance.
The Danish author Hans Jakob Helms was born in East Greenland in 1949. Hans Jakob Helms’ books are inspired by his great knowledge of Greenland, his many years of experience as an official in both Greenland and Denmark and as a participant of conferences and negotiations all over the world. His first novel, "Giftpølen" was published in 1977 and was followed up by several critically acclaimed books. His book, "Hold da kræft mand" (2017) is about his own experiences with prostate cancer.