It is already dark on this late Saturday afternoon, and given the cold, the streets of Munich are not very busy. In front of the Gasteig, however, a few people can be seen rummaging in their pockets in front of the entrance to look for their vaccination cards. And inside, too, the most diverse generations from young to old are represented. It seems calm here; you can actually only hear the escalators, which start moving every few minutes.
They lead to the Munich Book Show, which takes place almost as usual. Bookshelves stand on two floors, divided by publishers or literary award winners, and lit by lamps that shine on a wide range: garden reading, non-fiction books on climate change, the comic biography of Anne Frank’s life, picture books by Michelle Obama and Frieda Carlo and Oscar Wilde’s smartest Thoughts. And where are the readers? At first glance, the 62nd Munich Book Show seems poorly attended, certainly due to the Corona situation. Nevertheless, at a second glance, every black leather bench is filled with eye-droping people, and at least two pairs of hands can be seen on every shelf, reaching for books.
According to the current status, the book show in Gasteig is to be open until December 5th and will also offer readings by international authors. It has around 10,000 volumes this year, and publishers such as Droemer Knaur, Carlsen, Piper, Heyne, Carl Hanser and Antje Kunstmann offer reading material for every age group. The entire second floor is equipped with reading material for children and young people, and there is a radio play on the stairs as a gift, with readings by, among others, “Jim Knopf”, the “Neverending Story” or the “Glücksbäckerei”.
Many had probably opted for the digital version of the reading
Shortly before 6 p.m. a gong echoes through the shelves, and a line of mothers and fathers with their children quickly forms in front of the small concert hall. The hustle and bustle is loud compared to the minutes before. The children jump up and down to get rid of the excess energy, because a reading of the 100 best books for children and young people awaits them in the concert hall. When the door closes behind the last one, it is quiet again except for the escalators.
Later that evening, author Anne Gesthuysen comes to Gasteig to present her novel “We are who, after all” in the black box. “It’s nice that you are here as a small community,” said Bucherschau curator Thomas Kraft, welcoming the manageable audience. Many who bought a ticket have probably opted for the digital version of the reading after all; the book show and events can also be followed online this year, just like the literary house program. Gesthuysen reads and tells little anecdotes from her life that she took as inspiration for her book; fun, down to earth memories that will make audiences laugh. That’s a lot on an autumn evening in pandemic times.