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Karl’s Year In Books

Karl’s 2024 Year in Books

Take a look at Karl’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Karl Schembri

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Born

in Malta

Member Since

January 2021

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Karl Schembri, born in 1978, is a novelist and poet who branched out of investigative journalism into the humanitarian field, all the while maintaining a healthy literary output. His first published work appeared in 1997 with the self-published poetry anthology Frekwenzi ta’ Spirti fis-Sakra (Frequencies of Drunken Spirits). Next came the short story collection Taħt il-Kappa tax-Xemx (Under the Sun, Minima) in 2002, which placed Schembri in the roster of alternative literary voices gathered under the umbrella of the short-lived but deeply influential micro-publisher Minima. But it was the release of his debut novel Il-Manifest tal-Killer (Choppy Books, 2006) which secured his position as a notable and urgent literary voice, even leading vet Karl Schembri, born in 1978, is a novelist and poet who branched out of investigative journalism into the humanitarian field, all the while maintaining a healthy literary output. His first published work appeared in 1997 with the self-published poetry anthology Frekwenzi ta’ Spirti fis-Sakra (Frequencies of Drunken Spirits). Next came the short story collection Taħt il-Kappa tax-Xemx (Under the Sun, Minima) in 2002, which placed Schembri in the roster of alternative literary voices gathered under the umbrella of the short-lived but deeply influential micro-publisher Minima. But it was the release of his debut novel Il-Manifest tal-Killer (Choppy Books, 2006) which secured his position as a notable and urgent literary voice, even leading veteran author Mario Azzopardi to describe it as the first truly “anarchist” work of Maltese literature. Telling the story of a group of young misfits banding together to push back against the dominant political narrative through subversive action, the novel fictionalises into satire the real-life strands of political corruption, moral hypocrisy and institutional complacency which Schembri often found himself tackling during his years as a journalist for national media.

Schembri’s professional life would continue to expand and evolve – he branched out into international journalism, and relocated from Malta in 2009 to work as a journalist with a Palestinian news agency in occupied Palestine, before assuming media-adjacent roles in humanitarian institutions such as Oxfam, Save the Children and the Norwegian Refugee Council. His poetry and short fiction would go on to appear in various anthologies, both local and international. And yet, the legacy of Il-Manifest tal-Killer continues to tower over Schembri’s literary reputation, as evidenced by it being privy to a rare phenomenon in Maltese publishing: a freshly reissued edition arriving in 2020 from the prestigious Merlin Publishers, no less. Schembri claims the novel has now come “full circle”, confirming that Malta’s institutionally stagnant political system remains ripe for satire with the same tools he employed back in 2006, despite apparent – and largely cosmetic – changes having occurred on the scene since.

But 2020 was as much about experimentation as it was about revisitation. Also for Merlin Publishers, Schembri collaborated with illustrator Alice Samuel for the picture book for children - It-tifel li salva d-dinja (The boy who saved the world, Merlin Publishers, 2020)– which speaks to Schembri's versatility as an author, capable of transforming a ‘napkin idea’ originally sketched at a Cairo cafe back in 2013 into a universal and slyly complex story about a lonely boy forging an imaginary friendship with the sun. The Lulu Diaries (Ede Books, 2020) adds a further kink to Schembri's recent publication history, being a poetry book inspired by a kitten which accidentally dropped into the author’s life while he was living in Gaza in 2012.

Karl Schembri is now based in Nairobi, Kenya, where he lives with wife Simine and son Salman, their dog Mitti and cats Munzer and Mario. ...more

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Karl Schembri’s books

Average rating: 4.09 · 140 ratings · 18 reviews · 14 distinct works • Similar authors

	Il-Manifest tal-Killer 4.01 avg rating — 78 ratings — published 2006 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Taħt il-Kappa tax-Xemx by Karl Schembri (Goodreads Author), Greta Borg Carabott (Illustrator) 3.81 avg rating — 32 ratings — published 2002 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Eħlisna mid-deni 4.79 avg rating — 14 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Journey of Miskit: The Brave Stoat by Karl Schembri (Goodreads Author), Ana-Maria Cosma (Illustrator) 4.75 avg rating — 4 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Passju Taħt ix-Xita 3.50 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Lulu Diaries really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	It-tifel li salva d-dinja (Tikka Qari Livell 12) by Karl Schembri (Goodreads Author), Alice Samuel (Illustrator) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Id-Demm Nieżel Bħax-Xita by Karl Schembri (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Adrian Grima (Editor) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Remember the Future 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Frekwenzi ta' Spirti fis-Sakra by Karl Schembri (Goodreads Author), Kenneth Busuttil, Bernard J. Cauchi 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Karl Schembri…

Karl is Currently Reading

Karl Schembri is currently reading

Lancelot

by Walker Percy

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Nov 18, 2025 03:30AM

Karl Schembri is currently reading

Gulliver’s Travels

by Jonathan Swift

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May 10, 2025 11:59AM

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The Message

by Ta-Nehisi Coates

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Jan 12, 2025 04:34AM

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Karl Schembri rated a book really liked it Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Karl Schembri wants to read How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Karl Schembri is currently reading Lancelot by Walker Percy	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 18, 2025 03:30AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Lancelot by Walker Percy. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Lancelot by Walker Percy <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Karl Schembri liked Steve Cachia's review of Eħlisna mid-deni: "Ktieb intens, mimli emozzjoni, miktub b'qawwa u li jħallik bla nifs. Kapolavur ġdid tal-letteratura moderna Maltija, jaffronta temi li għadhom xi ftit jew wisq tabu' fis-soċjeta' Maltija, b'mumenti liriċi u poetiċi mħalltin ma' oħrajn ikkaratterizzat" Read more of this review »
Nov 17, 2025 11:10PM · see review
Karl Schembri has read Lumumba: Eroe Africano by Luca Catalano	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 31, 2025 02:36PM · like
Karl Schembri rated a book really liked it The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Karl Schembri is now following Mohsin Hamid Author of Exit West
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Karl Schembri wants to read Discontent and Its Civilizations: Dispatches from Lahore, New York, and London by Mohsin Hamid	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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