»Wo Hanns-Josef Ortheil ist, herrscht Licht.« STEFAN KISTER, STUTTGARTER ZEITUNG
HANNS-JOSEF ORTHEIL
VON NAHEN DINGEN UND MENSCHEN / OF CLOSE THINGS AND PEOPLE
Columns / Short prose
ca. 288 pages
Spring 2024
Hilarity from a true wordsmith
An intimate glimpse into Hanns-Josef Ortheil’s study
"Ortheil's narration impresses with the enormous authenticity of its formulations." Ulf Heise, MDR Kultur
“A theory of harmony of the good life, a wonderful book about closeness, densely narrated and not at a loss for curious punchlines.”Michael Braun, KÖLNER STADTANZEIGR
“Ortheil is a Master at Creating Sympathy for the Characters” SWR2
In these columns and short prose texts, Hanns-Josef Ortheil meditates chronologically on the current affairs of the last five years. The story is often sparked by an observation, a piece of news, or an encounter — and leads into the realm of the autobiographical, the philosophical, or the humorous. In his account of concentrated life events, Ortheil employs a whole arsenal of different forms of expression: reflections, memories, essayistic observations, fictitious encounters, and short stories from his childhood. These are at times profound, often jocular or eulogistic, at times curious, ironic, and frequently self-deprecating. His texts are always characterised by precise observation or striking metaphors and subtle references, and the interweaving of ideas.
Take, for instance, when he writes of the lethargy of zoo animals, which stands in stark contrast to the spry sociability of penguins. Or explains why Jan Vermeer’s paintings enjoy such popularity 400 years on from their creation — and what links them to the world of the Stoics. He comments on the linguistic motto of Cologne’s 2018 Karneval (Uns Sproch es Heimat), as well as remembering his own Karneval costume in the 1950s, which gave him an understanding of the concept of fashion (he was a Catholic priest).
Yet his aperçus always lead to a point, broadening in scope beyond the personal or incidental to take in the universal.
VON NAHEN DINGEN UND MENSCHEN / OF CLOSE THINGS AND PEOPLE
Columns / Short prose
ca. 288 pages
Spring 2024
Hilarity from a true wordsmith
An intimate glimpse into Hanns-Josef Ortheil’s study
"Ortheil's narration impresses with the enormous authenticity of its formulations." Ulf Heise, MDR Kultur
“A theory of harmony of the good life, a wonderful book about closeness, densely narrated and not at a loss for curious punchlines.”Michael Braun, KÖLNER STADTANZEIGR
“Ortheil is a Master at Creating Sympathy for the Characters” SWR2
In these columns and short prose texts, Hanns-Josef Ortheil meditates chronologically on the current affairs of the last five years. The story is often sparked by an observation, a piece of news, or an encounter — and leads into the realm of the autobiographical, the philosophical, or the humorous. In his account of concentrated life events, Ortheil employs a whole arsenal of different forms of expression: reflections, memories, essayistic observations, fictitious encounters, and short stories from his childhood. These are at times profound, often jocular or eulogistic, at times curious, ironic, and frequently self-deprecating. His texts are always characterised by precise observation or striking metaphors and subtle references, and the interweaving of ideas.
Take, for instance, when he writes of the lethargy of zoo animals, which stands in stark contrast to the spry sociability of penguins. Or explains why Jan Vermeer’s paintings enjoy such popularity 400 years on from their creation — and what links them to the world of the Stoics. He comments on the linguistic motto of Cologne’s 2018 Karneval (Uns Sproch es Heimat), as well as remembering his own Karneval costume in the 1950s, which gave him an understanding of the concept of fashion (he was a Catholic priest).
Yet his aperçus always lead to a point, broadening in scope beyond the personal or incidental to take in the universal.
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Hanns-Josef Ortheil
Hanns-Josef Ortheil was born in Cologne in 1951. He is a writer, pianist and professor of creative writing and cultural journalism at the University...
Hanns-Josef Ortheil was born in Cologne in 1951. He is a writer, pianist and professor of creative writing and cultural journalism at the University of Hildesheim. His body of work comprises more than 70 book publications. Ortheil is one of the most-read German writers working today. For his work, he has received the Thomas Mann Prize, the Nicolas Born Prize, and the Hannelore Greve Literature Prize, among others. Hanns-Josef Ortheil is one of the most widely read contemporary German writers....