Small Empires was written following extensive archival research in Berlin, Manchester, and Jersey. The novella is a blend of literary narrative, essay, and hard facts centered on the historic "Muratti" tobacco company. Above all, however, it is a book on transience – on all that is destined to disappear with the passage of time.

The author, Christos Asteriou, will discuss with his German publisher Jörg Becken.