Talk to Al Jazeera: In the Field

The Future Library: A forest unfolding for next century’s books

Some of the world’s most acclaimed authors are secretly working on manuscripts to be read only by future generations.

A forest is slowly growing in Norway.

In 100 years, the paper from its trees will be an anthology of books – with a new acclaimed writer contributing a text every year.

But by the time these texts are read, in 2114, most of us will be gone.

Because the works are not for us. Instead, they are a secret dialogue with future generations that will only be seen by them.

These works aim to communicate across space and time over many, many years.

This is the Future Library.