Daniela Krien Love in Case of Emergency: English (UK) rights sold 

We have sold UK rights of Daniela Krien’s Love in Case of Emergency to MacLehose Press, an imprint of Quercus, part of the Hachette group. With Danish and Dutch rights also sold, the book will be published in a total of four languages up to now.

Meanwhile, domestic sales of Love in Case of Emergency have climbed up to almost 50’000 copies. The book has been in the top ten of the Spiegel bestseller list for nine weeks – and counting.

More press poured in, here are a few quotes:
»Few intelligently entertaining German novels don’t ooze relevance yet are not afraid of existential seriousness. Fortunately, Krien has written one.«
Rainer Moritz / NZZ, Zurich

»The polyphony and the way in which every single voice is being led midway between the protagonist and the narrator constitute the special quality of this book.«
Burkhard Müller / Süddeutsche Zeitung, Munich

»In this meticulously constructed story about the diversity of women’s life paths, Krien hits a nerve of our era.«
Babina Cathomen / Kulturtipp, Zurich

»This book is not solely for women. Far more, it is a poetic and carefully thought out narrative about how longing comes into and fades from being.«
Roland Mischke / Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Essen

»In this intricately plotted and multi-layered portrait, Krien illustrates the entire spectrum – as well as the painful complexity – of today’s female existence.«
Westfälische Nachrichten, Münster

Just published: Lukas Hartmann’s The Singer

His voice filled concert halls, beguiled women and captured an audience of millions in Germany, Europe, and America, where they called him »the small man with the great voice«.

Joseph Schmidt, the son of orthodox Jews from Czernowitz, Ukraine, achieved great success. What a journey, from an unknown Eastern European Shtetl to the famous Carnegie Hall! In 1942, however, fame and talent are worth nothing.
On the run from the Nazis, the famous tenor becomes ill and is just one of thousands of exhausted refugees stuck at the Swiss border. Will he make it to the other side, to safety?

From global star to refugee – the incredible story of Joseph Schmidt, one of the most beautiful voices of the 20th century.

Please find the book on #1 of the Swiss bestseller list here.

We have received the first press reviews which are enthusiastic:
»Lukas Hartmann [...] intertwines his [Joseph Schmidt’s] descent into hardship with memories of his mother, his lovers and his path to fame.«
Anne-Sophie Scholl, AZ Nordwestschweiz

»The ill-treated individual takes priority, a tragic fate of a single person cannot be excused by pointing to reason of state.«
Mirjam Comtesse / Berner Zeitung

Joey Goebel praised by press and social media

Joey Goebel’s latest novel I Know It’s Going to Happen for You Someday continues to be applauded by the press. Here are a few quotes:

»Few write as beautifully about loneliness as Joey Goebel.«
Bolero, Zurich

»Joey Goebel holds his burning glass on this small town in the US.«
Freie Presse, Chemnitz

Moreover, we have received many great blog entries and feedback via social media. Here are a few links:

Wortmax

Fast Forward Magazine

@miss_songbird

Now Published in translation: Emanuel Bergmann The Trick

Japanese by Shinchosha

Charles Lewinsky The Stutterer: Chinese and Arabic rights sold

We have sold Chinese rights (simplified characters) of Charles Lewinsky’s The Stutterer to Archipel Press (Shanghai) and Arabic rights to Al Arabi (Cairo).

And we have received more enthusiastic press, here are a few quotes:
»An exhilarating read: intelligent, sophisticated – what else do you want?«
Denis Scheck / ARD

»Casually and skilfully told and greatly entertaining, until the very last page.«
Elke Heidenreich / WDR 4

»A labyrinth of a novel, in which you enjoy getting lost in [...].«
Katja Weise / NDR Kultur

»To me this book is a prime example of sophisticated light fiction. Absolutely recommended.«
Steffen Jacobs / rbb Kulturradio

Erich Hackl Roped together: English (UK) rights sold

We have sold UK rights of Erich Hackl’s Roped Together to Haus Publishing. As far as domestic sales are concerned, this book has so far sold more than 20’000 copies.

Roped Together tells the story of how taciturn Vienna craftsman and passionate mountaineer Reinhold Duschka came to save two Jewish lives during the Nazi reign of terror.

Erich Hackl’s books have been published in 25 languages.

Just published: Erich Hackl’s More Happiness in Life

More Happiness in Life contains Erich Hackl’s appreciations of people important to him. He writes about who they were and what they stood for. On the meaning and significance of friendship, resistance, and Heimat. However, it also includes biting and funny writings. Disobedient thank-you speeches. Essays about writers he admires, and about the difficulties of writing. His work from the past 25 years follows a common thread and, against all odds, doesn’t let it go.

A book on friendship to people and loyalty to a utopia, on feeling at home and feeling out of place.

Gem from our backlist: Erich Hackl Farewell Sidonia

Today, we’d like to highlight one of Erich Hackl's first books: Farewell Sidonia, originally published thirty years ago, in 1989. Over the years, it has sold half a million copies in its German edition and has become required reading in German and Austrian schools. Internationally, it has been published in 17 languages. 

Farewell Sidonia is a novel about courage in difficult times and about foster parents who truly care for their child. But all that doesn’t help them: The Nazis kill their daughter because of her gypsy origin. It’s also a typical Hackl novel: a story based on research about individual fates in times of war. 

Erich Hackl has written a total of 13 books so far, such as Aurora’s Motive (1986), The Wedding of Auschwitz (2002) or Roped Together (2018), to name just a few. He was awarded the ›Austrian Prize for the Promotion of Literature‹ in 1991, the ›Prize to Culture of the Region of Upper Austria‹ in 1994 and the ›Literature Prize of Austrian Industry‹ in 2015. Diogenes is looking forward to celebrating Erich Hackl’s 65th birthday this month, on 26 May 2019.