Prosaic at the end of the year? It's hardly a surprise to you that I'm dedicating this last post of 2022 to reading, is it? We've gotten to know each other a little better by now, and you know I couldn't imagine a life without books. Books represent diversity and ambiguity. A great gift, especially in the times we're currently experiencing. Like a magic carpet, a book carries you to foreign worlds, worlds that other people have experienced or imagined. What could be better? Only one thing comes to mind: making other people happy with books.
Bookseller Katrin Bietz has dedicated herself to this task since 2017 in her bookstore Prosa – Der Buchladen at Dr-Julius-Leber-Straße 42. Today I am visiting her there for Lübeck ZWISCHENZEILEN .
prosa oratio – “straightforward”
The warm ochre yellow of the facade of the 30 m² bookstore radiates warmth and beauty, visible from afar. Inside, a relaxed atmosphere prevails. The handcrafted wooden shelves and a comfortable armchair tucked away in the back corner create a bright and welcoming ambiance.
Katrin Bietz is a clear and straightforward person who thinks and speaks very quickly. She's a woman who knows exactly what she wants: to do something meaningful, as she says. I'm a little envious of the courage she showed in starting her own business. After all, it's easy to dream about opening a bookstore; actually doing it is the real achievement.
My ideal bookstore would be called "Love & Cake," and it would exclusively stock books about love. It would also offer the world's best cakes and tarts, made according to my mother's recipes. However, since I can only reliably bake Elisenkuchen (a type of German cake) and ultimately couldn't determine which books were about love and which weren't, I don't have a bookstore.
Over the past five years, Katrin Bietz has proven she has what it takes to be a successful businesswoman. " No compromises " is the guiding principle of her actions. She focuses on what's essential and forges her own path. In "Prosa – Der Buchladen" (Prose – The Bookstore), she also carries books from smaller publishers. These smaller publishers are often the ones who give emerging authors a chance and release titles on niche topics.
And her success proves her right: a large number of regular customers stop by regularly, and increasingly young people and men are finding their way to the "Prosa" bookstore, which pleases the owner especially.
Prosa – The Award-Winning Bookstore in 2022
A bookstore run by a dedicated woman like Katrin Bietz is simply a wonderful gift. Because it's about so much more than just buying a book. Anyone who loves books knows that. It's about browsing and exploring. About chatting with the owner, about carefully leafing through a book that has piqued your interest. About the smile you feel when you accidentally discover a line of text. About the feeling of being understood. About all the associations that arise in your mind when you read a title.
In November, the German Bookstore Prize 2022 was awarded in Augsburg. Among those honored in the " Outstanding Bookstores " category was the Lübeck bookstore "Prosa" —for the second time, following their win in 2019! Minister of State Claudia Roth praised the work of bookstores in Germany and quoted Philippe Djian: " When I'm feeling down, I don't go to the pharmacy, I go to my bookseller ." I'm sure Djian was referring to people like Katrin Bietz: people who have an incredible love for books and whose greatest joy is seeing customers leave with the book they've been looking for, or even better, with new inspiration.
Curated Book Love
Having to choose from an ever-increasing number of products and services in all areas of life overwhelms many people, says Katrin Bietz. In her book "Prosa," the bookseller and German studies scholar presents a carefully curated selection of titles from fiction and children's and young adult literature. For the most part, these are works whose content has convinced her. She has actually read 108 books this year – not just skimmed them.
Katrin Bietz is fortunate enough to be able to choose which titles she wants to offer a temporary home. She navigates the seemingly impenetrable jungle of publishers' catalogs, researches online, reads reviews, and simply knows what's happening in the publishing world. In this way, she discovers new authors and titles that inspire her and looks forward to finding the right readers. In her shop, she enjoys chatting with customers seeking advice, inquiring about their wishes and preferences, and readily offers personal recommendations. She also provides inspiration on her blog.
(Don't) judge a book by its cover
The titles are arranged into categories, which change occasionally. Indications such as "nature-loving" or "for well-being" provide context and guidance. The fact that all the books are displayed front-facing is another delight and awakens the desire for the sensory experience of reading. Each cover, in all its simplicity or splendor, is showcased to its full advantage. This attracts many a title that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. It's also a welcome relief that you don't have to tilt your head to read the spines.
Dinner appointments
The "Prosa" bookstore opens approximately once a month for an evening reading and becomes a small temporary home for lively cultural exchange during these hours.
Katrin Bietz, acting as a reading ambassador, invites guests to enjoy delicious sandwiches and organic wine on these evenings. They settle into the cozy little room and discover three or four books that the owner is currently reading. She focuses on a mix of sophisticated and humorous reading. These lovingly curated events usually sell out in no time. It's worth subscribing to the newsletter to be notified of upcoming dates.
If the earth is hard – the women dance
When asked for a book recommendation to help her start the new year 2023 feeling positive and empowered, she immediately picks up " Is the Earth Hard?" by Malla Nunn . A captivating novel that follows a 16-year-old girl during the apartheid era and helps her change her perspective. According to Katrin Bietz, it's a delightful read for people of all ages and a wonderful book about breaking free from a rigid mindset. A must-read!
Simply well described and written 🥰!
Thank you for the praise, dear Sabine.