Miss Dania

The daily update from the world of literature. Today: Dana, winner of the Prize, wants to break a lance for young people’s books. One thing has been with them for many years.

October 17th, morning update: “Female friendships are complicated”

Which book changed you? This is what the “Books for Life” video series is all about. In it, writers, intellectuals and other exciting people tell about a book that has left their mark on them and what memories they associate with it.

The writer Dana provides the proof: Even books with ugly covers can be fondly remembered. And that even for years: for “Books for Life”, the author , who was nominated for the Bachmann Prize and awarded the Prize, chooses a novel for young people that she keeps thinking about.

October 16, morning update: Ben opens up to Gery

She never stood in the “centre” of Ben’s life , Gery knew that early on. From winter 1921 to autumn 1922 she and the poet were a couple. After that, they managed the feat of remaining inclined to one another until Benn’s death. Ben was the analyst , she the generous, clever (studied and doctoral degree) and warm-hearted, pecuniary clammy like himself, without any writing ambitions – how extremely pleasant! He opens up to her in mocking notes and “big” letters, private, political, autobiographical, and as seldom sympathetic as he asks about her adventurous life.

The volume begins with 29 partly tempting, partly rabid Benn letters full of humour, full of sadness. “Don’t bathe too long!” He warns, followed by depressing insights: “The whole of life for each individual is economic galleys.” He describes his intellectual “situation” as “completely decentralized”, “one pukes at oneself”.

He explains in detail how he stood up for Hitler, only to withdraw into silence. Gertrud saves the bundle despite countless moves. After the war she sent 60 care packages from the USA, plus many letters, to which he replied gratefully and informatively. He declares September 6th to be “Trudchentag”, but texts like Edition are worth a glass every day. Gisela Trahms

October 15th, lunchtime update: Stefan on his overwhelming encounter with Peter

I know, I know. When you talk about Peter these days , the first thing that inevitably comes up is this dreary controversy about Serbia , an outburst of anger that Pete knows only too well. Which is why there was some contradiction when the Nobel Prize was later awarded . Why he accepted this price, in contrast to several others, which he categorically rejected or even paid back, remains uncertain. So I’m not going to mention any of this here, but rather limit myself to the nice surprise moments that he always has ready for his friends.

This was the case with the very first documentary film that we shot with him. Fee as was customary at the time: 1000 DM. Which, however, inevitably had to be plastered in the most expensive bar in Paris, the “Lasserre”. At the time he was living at the Porte d’Auteuil in Paris, poorly furnished and not a great area. Peter says aphoristically: “The interior of today’s human corresponds exactly to the impotent geometry of such places.” Then the way to school with the six-year-old daughter Amina. Thereby unmistakable love and tenderness.

Amina’s mother, the Austrian actress (he will only ever live with actresses), has already separated from him. Later, alone in the apartment, he complains that female admirers run into him: “I don’t understand what they want. Only yesterday another one who lugged her suitcase straight away and set up the toothbrush in the bathroom. Of course I expelled her. ”“ I’m an impossible father ”, he announces next, while he cooks for her … full article