Ο ταχυδρόμος των βιβλίων
Carsten Henn, 2020
★ 4.10 from 40.7k ratings on Goodreads
A bookseller who carries books to readers' doors, and a widowed reader who judges novels by their cover colour. A warm, witty walk through small-town reading lives, with tenderness and a touch of wonder around every doorstep.
Feels like wonder, joy and tenderness. About war, friendship and power.
Who it’s for
You may like it if you enjoy gentle stories about books, neighbours and unlikely friendships. The friendship at its centre involves a young girl, so if child-centred warmth isn't your thing, this may feel less engaging.
Why read it
It gives you a quiet, warm view of how books build community, and a friendship that makes everyday streets feel a little closer.
A page from the book
He is not the hero of any of the novels he recommends.
Εκείνη τον κοίταξε με ένα ζεστό χαμόγελο, σαν να αντίκριζε ένα αμάλγαμα από όλους τους γοητευτικούς ήρωες που είχε ερωτευτεί κατά καιρούς στα βιβλία που ο ίδιος ο Καρλ της είχε προτείνει. Ο Καρλ βέβαια δεν έμοιαζε με κανέναν από αυτούς. Παλαιότερα είχε λίγη κοιλίτσα, που όμως μειώθηκε με το πέρασμα των χρόνων, ακριβώς όπως και τα μαλλιά του – ήταν λες και είχαν συνεννοηθεί να τον εγκαταλείψουν ταυτόχρονα. Σήμερα, στα εβδομήντα δύο του χρόνια, ήταν πολύ λεπτός, αλλά εξακολουθούσε να φοράει τα παλιά του ρούχα, με αποτέλεσμα να πλέει μέσα τους. Το πρώην αφεντικό του έλεγε ότι ο Καρλ τρεφόταν μόνο από τις λέξεις των βιβλίων του και δυστυχώς αυτές δεν είχαν αρκετούς υδατάνθρακες. What readers say
Readers found the story deeply moving, praising the heartwarming friendship between the bookseller and the young girl. Many felt the book was a beautiful tribute to the power of reading and finding community.
Carsten Henn.Carsten Henn worked for years as a winemaker and editor before writing fiction; this novel became a German bestseller and was translated into more than thirty languages. — Careful: I must be certain. Better: Carsten Henn is a German author and editor; this, his best-known novel, was a word-of-mouth bestseller in Germany.
Books that feel like this
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer, 2008
Also tenderness and friendship.
Where to get it
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Questions readers ask
- Is Ο ταχυδρόμος των βιβλίων for me?
- You may like it if you enjoy gentle stories about books, neighbours and unlikely friendships. The friendship at its centre involves a young girl, so if child-centred warmth isn't your thing, this may feel less engaging.
- What is Ο ταχυδρόμος των βιβλίων like?
- A warm, witty walk through small-town reading lives, with tenderness and a touch of wonder around every doorstep. Feels like wonder, joy and tenderness. About war, friendship and power.
- What should I read after Ο ταχυδρόμος των βιβλίων?
- If you liked Ο ταχυδρόμος των βιβλίων, try The House in the Cerulean Sea (T.J. Klune), Remarkably Bright Creatures (Shelby Van Pelt) and The Thursday Murder Club (Richard Osman).
A taste of the feed
The difference between the posters on the wall and the laughter behind the door.
He was about to leave through the front door when he paused at a bright burst of laughter coming from the kitchen. Against his better judgment, he tiptoed toward the sound. He passed by posters nailed to the walls, the same messages that hung in all the DICOMY-sanctioned orphanages he’d been to. They showed smiling children below such legends as WE’RE HAPPIEST WHEN WE LISTEN TO THOSE IN CHARGE and A QUIET CHILD IS A HEALTHY CHILD and WHO NEEDS MAGIC WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR IMAGINATION?
The House in the Cerulean Sea · T.J. Klune
Someone is quietly making plans to fix a heart that isn't his.
As a general rule, I like holes. A hole at the top of my tank gives me freedom. But I do not like the hole in her heart. She only has one, not three, like me. Tova’s heart. I will do everything I can to help her fill it.
Remarkably Bright Creatures · Shelby Van Pelt
A confession in the tone of someone recommending a good restaurant.
Uccidere qualcuno è semplice. È quando si tratta di occultare la salma che viene il difficile. È così che finisci per farti beccare. Ma se incappi nel posto giusto, puoi tirare il fiato. È fatta. Io ho avuto la fortuna di trovare il posto perfetto. Ci vengo ancora, di tanto in tanto, solo per dare un’occhiata e controllare che sia tutto in ordine. Ma non c’è niente da vedere, e credo che mai ci sarà. A volte mi fumo una sigaretta. So che non dovrei, ma è l’unico vizio che mi è rimasto.
The Thursday Murder Club · Richard Osman
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