What are the best books of the year? The jury of the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Art probably had a hard time answering this question. But this year, they have again drawn up a list: “Bavaria’s best independent books 2024”. A wide variety of works from publishers from all over Bavaria are on the list and will be presented at trade fairs and events in the coming months; this time, for the first time, there will be a podcast by literary critic Christine Knödler, which will be available from October onwards in Literature Portal Bavaria to find.
The following works are recommended: Dora Kaprálová’s children’s book “Mr. Nobody and the White Darkness” (Balaena, Landsberg), an audio book on Jean Améry’s “The New Anti-Semitism” (cc-live, Munich) and Paul van Ostaijen’s short prose “The Prison in Heaven” (Edition Hibana, Oberelchingen). Davide Coppo’s novel “The Tomorrow Belongs to Us” (Kjona, Munich) is also awarded, as is Bernhard Setzwein’s novel “Kafka’s Journey Through the Hunchbacked World” (Lichtung, Viechtach), Sachiko Kashiwaba’s mystery novel “Summer in the Temple Lane” (Limbion, Dießen) and Caro Van Thuyne’s novel “Birch Sister” (Maro, Augsburg). And Anja Scherz’s sensational book “Goldstein – a fantastic life” (Stroux Edition) was just as convincing as the children’s books “White Tears” by Kathrin Schrocke (Mixtvision, Munich) and “Cherries for the Camel” by Susanna and Johannes Rieder (Susanna Rieder Verlag).