Elke Heidenreich presents her book recommendations on video every two weeks - straight from her library in Cologne. In doing so, she brings a current and an older work from her shelf: a new publication that has received little attention and another book that is worth reading again.
After the new discoveries and rediscoveries, there is also the SPIEGEL bestseller list of the week - for everyone who wants to stay up to date on the latest popular successes.
Read the video transcript here
Elke Heidenreich
At this point I have a new and an old book for you every two weeks in the future, because I think you should read the old books again and take note of them. And of course I'll make sure that the two go well together. But as well as this time, they probably rarely go together. It's about the same man. It is about a man who is constantly dealing with "to be or not to be" and whether it is better to sleep and dream or act and watch. It's about Hamlet, and that's a man who does pretty much everything wrong, I think. Shakespeare doesn't do anything wrong. Shakespeare, who invented Hamlet, knows everything about man's trials and tribulations and abysses. And the theaters have been working on this Hamlet for centuries.One of the most spectacular productions is certainly that of 1999, which Peter Zadek made with Angela Winkler in the leading role as Hamlet - Hamlet, a woman. And that must have been a mad production and also a completely crazy way until it even got on stage. With Otto Sander, Eva Mattes, Ulrich Wildgruber, with the greats of the theater and with Klaus Pohl, who played Horatio, Hamlet's friend and who wrote a diary about these rehearsals all the time. About the madness of these rehearsals in Strasbourg, back when it was performed before it came to Vienna. And now he's made a book out of that diary.And that must have been a mad production and also a completely crazy way until it even got on stage. With Otto Sander, Eva Mattes, Ulrich Wildgruber, with the greats of the theater and with Klaus Pohl, who played Horatio, Hamlet's friend and who wrote a diary about these rehearsals all the time. About the madness of these rehearsals in Strasbourg, back when it was performed before it came to Vienna. And now he's made a book out of that diary.And that must have been a mad production and also a completely crazy way until it even got on stage. With Otto Sander, Eva Mattes, Ulrich Wildgruber, with the greats of the theater and with Klaus Pohl, who played Horatio, Hamlet's friend and who wrote a diary about these rehearsals all the time. About the madness of these rehearsals in Strasbourg, back when it was performed before it came to Vienna. And now he's made a book out of that diary.before it came to Vienna. And now he's made a book out of that diary.before it came to Vienna. And now he's made a book out of that diary.
It was first an audio book, and it is now a novel by Galiani, Klaus Pohl, "To be or not to be". And everyone is praising this book right now. Even the cerebral literary quartet, who actually prefer to complain rather than praise. But you can't get past it. Paul is smart, he's funny, he's sensitive. He describes the whole madness of these rehearsals, how Angela Winkler keeps disappearing and hiding because she can't stand this Hamlet and doesn't want to be. And then Zadek looks for them and drives across the country by car. And Ulrich Wildgruber gets on everyone's nerves with his rhetorical and alcoholic excesses. And Klaus Pohl describes how they drink through the nights to get some courage for rehearsals the next day. But then the rehearsals are canceled again because something is wrong.
So, it's incredible insane. Also about what people are willing to sacrifice and endure in order to create art. So that art succeeds. How far can you go yourself to get something on stage? For a long time I haven't read anything as moving, clever, or funny as this miracle book about this madness. Here seriousness and comedy are close together. Pohl writes about life, about the theater, about enthusiasm, about madness, about courage, fear, friendship, about getting old and about the fact that you still have to keep going. And you cry when you think that we have already lost some of these greats. Otto Sander is dead, Ulrich Wildgruber has committed suicide, Peter Zadek is dead. And here we read again how they worked and burned with their passion for the theater.The book is a tribute to these artists from the work of the artists. And it is not just something that captures how it was back then, but what also conveys all the joy of this profession. As much as the job demands. And it is brilliantly told, emphatically, well written, really a pleasure. And we learn a lot here about Hamlet, the procrastinator, the avenger who kills his uncle and mother because they killed the father, the king, Hamlet's father. And that is always considered a nefarious act.And we learn a lot here about Hamlet, the procrastinator, the avenger who kills his uncle and mother because they killed the father, the king, Hamlet's father. And that is always considered a nefarious act.And we learn a lot here about Hamlet, the procrastinator, the avenger who kills his uncle and mother because they killed the father, the king, Hamlet's father. And that is always considered a nefarious act.
And now John Updike comes up with the novel "Gertrud and Claudius". He wrote it in 2001, it was published by Rowohlt. Updike, the great American storyteller who, to my sorrow, never won the Nobel Prize for Literature. I think he deserves it. He wrote the rabbit heart trilogy and many very funny and derisive marriage stories. And this is also a marriage story. He tells about the marriage between Gertrud and Claudius. It is practically the prelude to Shakespeare's Hamlet. Hamlet is still in Wittenberg and is studying. Gertrud is married to this king and this king is a monster. He is not good for his wife, he is not good for the people. And because of the close father-son relationship. He says:“How long does that fool want to study there in Wittenberg? When will Hamlet finally come home? 'And Gertrud Claudius, the king's brother, has been living for a long time. And we know the story: They kill him together. Actually everyone is happy then. Claudius is a good king. She is a good queen. And then Hamlet comes back. And now I'll read you the last sentence from Updike's wonderful book about this stupid royal family. The last sentence reads: “Leaving the hushed up murder aside, Claudius is apparently a capable king. Gertrude a noble queen. Ophelia a treasure from a girl. Polonius, a circumstance shopper, but not a bad advisor. Laertes, a pleasant young man. But Hamlet is tearing them all to their deaths. ”Two great books on a figure in world literature.»To be or not to be« by Klaus Pohl by Galiani and John Updike »Gertrud and Claudius« by Rowohlt twenty years ago. Both very worth reading. And now comes what people like to read and like to buy. That's why it's called a bestseller. The best-selling ones are often viewed very haughty, I think you shouldn't do that. Take a look at the SPIEGEL bestseller list with me now.
And here you are, the Spiegel bestsellers of the week:
In tenth place Daniela Kren's »Der Brand«.
The story of a marriage that has become loveless after thirty years.
Joint happiness should be saved on a vacation trip for two.
And Maggy got pregnant unintentionally when she was 16, and her parents banished her to Okracoke Island.
Anything could be terrible.
But then comes Brice.
»My last wish« from Nicolas Sparks ninth place of the week.
And the king in 8th place: Stephen King's horror novel about the hit man Billy who finally wants to stop this murder.
But then comes Alice.
Stephen King's “Billiy Summer” at number 8!
In seventh place »Stay away from Gretchen«.
The novel by Susanne Abel about the news presenter Tom, to whom his demented mother Greta tells as much about her life as she can.
The new novel by the anti-capitalist star author Sally Rooney "Beautiful world, where are you?", About a star author who falls in love with poor Felix from a warehouse.
In sixth place.
Simon Beckett's novel "The Lost" is also set in a warehouse.
Gavin lies there, unfortunately dead, his old friend Jonah Colly takes care of the matter.
In fifth place.
Finally something to laugh about on the four: After the passenger plane got caught in an electromagnetic hurricane, there are all passengers twice.
A contract killer, for example, a writer and an Afro-pop singer.
How do they become unique again: Hervé Le Tellier "The Anomaly".
The grandiose Eva Menasse and her novel about the past that does not want to pass »Dunkelblum« in third place.
And the Kreuzberg archaeologist Sven Regener fortunately stapled his heroes to their home counters for all eternity.
"Glitterschnitter", explosion climber of the week from zero to two.
And the eternal July.
Whatever she tells us about the country, the world buys from her.
About people from Juli Zeh.
Gold cup forever.
First place.
