How many books Ulrike Wolz has already read in her life can no longer be calculated, but that she will be able to celebrate her 100th reading in Vaterstetten this year, in November, is certain. In total, the literary expert has even attended 300 events. On this Friday, October 22nd, the Vaterstettenerin will once again go to the lectern with a bag full of new publications and provide her fans with recommendations, this time in the Poingen library.
SZ: Ms. Wolz, you have ten novel titles with you when you invite you to a reading. How do you choose? After all, around 70,000 titles appear in German book publishers every year?
Ulrike Wolz: I always try to offer a wide range, because ultimately the decision in favor of a book is something very individual. The books I recommend are initially my favorite books – and one thing is clear: Nobody will buy ten novels afterwards. Everyone chooses what they like best.
Which can be decided after just a few sentences – but which can sometimes lead you astray. When do you finally put aside a book that you have started reading?
I give every book 100 pages, and if it doesn’t catch me then I close it. But there are also books that I love very much myself, but I know that I don’t know anyone to recommend them to. Sometimes I don’t read any further because it’s a bit my job …
… and you don’t have time to read for pleasure?
So for a really big book I sometimes need a small window of time, even though I read very quickly.
And what books do you have in your luggage on Friday?
For example, a very light crime thriller, David Safiera’s “Miss Merkel – Murder in the Uckermark”, then, very different and more demanding: Jenny Erpenbeck: “Kairos”. From bestselling author Hervé Le Tellier I have “The Anomaly” with me, and finally Ioana Parvulescu: “Where the dogs bark in three languages” – a totally unknown Romanian author who I liked very much. She writes about her childhood in Transylvania. Finally, the first volume of a trilogy of novels by Lisa Graf about the Dallmayr company. Not particularly demanding, but with the flair of Munich at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. So there is something for everyone.
Are you consciously planning your readings during the major book fairs? Frankfurt is taking place this week.
Not directly, I don’t have to go to trade fairs to see what’s new, because I have the publishers’ catalogs sent to me in advance. I now have the spring catalogs at home. I have long since read everything that is presented at the book fairs.
And how do you choose the passages that you read out loud – it’s also about not spoiling …
So most of the time I try to read completed episodes when I can. But the audience should also get curious, if an episode is very long, you can say, “If you want to know whether the two of them get together, read for yourself!” It is particularly difficult with crime novels if you don’t want to reveal anything, you can actually only read the beginning. Basically, I prefer to read dialogues, which probably suits my inclination for acting. People come because they expect a fun evening.
Whereby the fun is still somewhat limited under corona conditions.
But for the first time we are allowed to read in presence again! You can’t stand together chatting, but everyone is allowed to talk before it starts.
Ulrike Wolz will read on Friday, October 22nd, at 7.30 p.m. in the Poing community library. Tickets are available at (08121) 979 49 40.