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Karl’s Year In Books

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Rafel Grima

818 books | 99 friends

Matthew Schembri

2,016 books | 410 friends

Yanika Attard

200 books | 4 friends

Kirsten Spiteri

108 books | 606 friends

Antoinette Borg

856 books | 205 friends

Adrian

787 books | 97 friends

Tyrone Grima

2 books | 75 friends

Michela Brincat

543 books | 171 friends

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Karl Schembri

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Born

in Malta

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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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Average rating: 4.18 · 159 ratings · 19 reviews · 14 distinct works • Similar authors

	Il-Manifest tal-Killer 4.03 avg rating — 80 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
	Eħlisna mid-deni 4.86 avg rating — 29 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
	Taħt il-Kappa tax-Xemx by Karl Schembri (Goodreads Author), Greta Borg Carabott (Illustrator) 3.82 avg rating — 33 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
	The Journey of Miskit: The Brave Stoat by Karl Schembri (Goodreads Author), Ana-Maria Cosma (Illustrator) 4.60 avg rating — 5 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

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Karl is Currently Reading

Karl Schembri is currently reading

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This

by Omar El Akkad (Goodreads Author)

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Jan 31, 2026 12:55AM

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Lancelot

by Walker Percy

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Nov 18, 2025 03:30AM

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Gulliver’s Travels

by Jonathan Swift

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May 10, 2025 11:59AM

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Karl’s Recent Updates

Karl Schembri liked Maxine Tanti's review of Il-Manifest tal-Killer: "Personalment għalija hu wieħed mill-iktar kotba tajbin hawn Malta u jistħoqqlu jinqara minn udjenza ikbar. Ir-realtà tat-temi li kiteb fiha Schembri fl-2005 nista' ngħid li għadhom attwali ħafna llum, fl-2020. Toħroġ ukoll bil-qawwi l-kultura kwotidj" Read more of this review »
Feb 20, 2026 12:45AM · see review
Karl Schembri liked Josephine's review of Il-Manifest tal-Killer: "Inkiteb meta kont il-Junior College/l-ewwel sena l-Università jien, u għalhekk ċertu lingwaġġ u atmosfera ġabuli ċerta nostalġija! Il-ħaġa traġika hi li l-argumenti tiegħu għadhom attwali ħafna!"
Feb 20, 2026 12:45AM · see review
Karl Schembri liked Sylvana Zarb's review of Il-Manifest tal-Killer: "Tajtu 5 stilel. L-għala? Qrajtu fil-perjodu preċiż, li ħassejtni qiegħda nirribella u nitkellem waħdi. Fil-mument preċiż meta ċedejt l-armi u ammettejt li ninsab waħdi dwar kif naħsibha fuq ħafna suġġetti. Qrajtu wara ħafna snin li rrealizzajt li l-l" Read more of this review »
Feb 20, 2026 12:44AM · see review
Karl Schembri and 1 other person liked Mark Anthony Bugeja's review of Il-Manifest tal-Killer: "Tal-genn!!"
Feb 20, 2026 12:44AM · see review
Karl Schembri is now following Omar El Akkad Author of One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against...
Jan 31, 2026 01:02AM · like
Karl Schembri is currently reading One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Nonfiction	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
Jan 31, 2026 12:55AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jan 02, 2026 08:18AM · like
Karl Schembri wants to read Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt by Chris Hedges	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
Dec 27, 2025 10:35AM · like
Karl Schembri wants to read How to Protect Bookstores and Why: The Present and Future of Bookselling by Danny Caine (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
Dec 27, 2025 10:34AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of How to Protect Bookstores and Why by Danny Caine. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — How to Protect Bookstores and Why by Danny Caine <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Karl Schembri is now following Omar N'Shea Author of Es Sidr
Dec 25, 2025 10:20AM · like

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Quotes by Karl Schembri (?)

“Mill-kunvent għall-ħabs m’hemmx xi qabża kbira. Imdawwar bl-irġiel kont u tibqa’, forsi dawn tal-aħħar ftit iżjed b’saħħithom. Juruk xi jsarrfu malli taqagħlek is-sapuna fix-xawer.”
― Karl Schembri, Eħlisna mid-deni

tags: jail, paedophile, prison

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“Se nitilqu l-lupu lura f’nofs in-nagħaġ, imma din id-darba n-nagħaġ se jkunu jistgħu jarawk u jifhmuk mingħajr ma turihom snienek.”
― Karl Schembri, Eħlisna mid-deni

tags: abuse, justice, retribution, revenge

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“Mill-postijiet kollha li setgħu bagħtuk, skola għażlu. Mank dar tal-anzjani. Mank iċ-ċimiterju, għalkemm ma nafx jeċitawkx il-mejtin ukoll. Xi tgħidli, Mons.? Jew it-tfal biss? Il-mejtin orrajt? Ma tmisshomx? Tħallihom bi kwiethom? Ma tħobbhomx l-iġsma bierda jiddekomponu bil-mod il-mod? Tippreferi l-ġilda tarija tat-tfal taħt l-età? Ftehemna. Allura ngħid jien ma setax bagħtek iċ-ċimiterju, l-Arċisqof, u b’hekk kien jiskansa ma nafx kemm-il traġedja ma’ għexieren ta’ tfal li kellhom jgħaddu minn taħt idejk?”
― Karl Schembri, Eħlisna mid-deni

tags: child-abuse, paedophile, priest, sarcasm

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Karl’s Quotes

“Keep your eye on the doughnut, not on the hole.”
― David Lynch, Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity: 10th Anniversary Edition

87 likes

“Through the darkness of future past, the magician longs to see, one chance out between two worlds, fire walk with me!”
― David Lynch

297 likes

“Se nitilqu l-lupu lura f’nofs in-nagħaġ, imma din id-darba n-nagħaġ se jkunu jistgħu jarawk u jifhmuk mingħajr ma turihom snienek.”
― Karl Schembri, Eħlisna mid-deni

tags: abuse, justice, retribution, revenge

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“Id-dawl f’wiċċek qisu qed idejqek. Qaħbeċ, u jien ħsibtek imdorri taħt id-dawl divin, mhux se tagħma b’daqsxejn ta’ bozza.”
― Karl Schembri, Eħlisna mid-deni

tags: justice, sarcasm, torture, trial

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“Hawn xi talba li jismagħha dan Alla tiegħek jew aħna biss mistennija nintrabtu biż-żobb ta’ maħfra?”
― Karl Schembri, Eħlisna mid-deni

Karl’s Year In Books

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