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A könyvsétáltató
A hetvenes éveiben járó Carl Kollhoff nem mindennapi könyvesbolti eladó. Esténként, zárás után gondosan becsomagol néhány könyvet, mintha ajándékba adná, és házhoz szállítja azokat kivételes ügyfeleinek a város festői utcácskáiban tett körsétáján. Már-már barátság fűzi ezekhez a különös, álomvilágukba zárkózó emberekhez, mert ő a fő kapcsolatuk a külvilággal. Carlt mindannyian egy-egy irodalmi alakra emlékeztetik, képzeletében népszerű regényhősök tulajdonságaival ruházza fel őket, miközben csupán annyit tud róluk, hogy milyen olvasmányt várnak tőle hétről hétre.
Egy nap azonban váratlanul mellé szegődik Sasa, egy kíváncsi és cserfes kilencéves kislány, aki nemcsak az idős könyvkereskedő világát forgatja fel fenekestül, hanem vásárlói olvasási szokásait, sőt életét is...
A könyvsétáltató szívmelengető történet a könyvek varázslatos erejéről és a hétköznapokban megbúvó csodákról. Ez a bűbájos regény eszményi ajándék minden könyvbarátnak.
Egy nap azonban váratlanul mellé szegődik Sasa, egy kíváncsi és cserfes kilencéves kislány, aki nemcsak az idős könyvkereskedő világát forgatja fel fenekestül, hanem vásárlói olvasási szokásait, sőt életét is...
A könyvsétáltató szívmelengető történet a könyvek varázslatos erejéről és a hétköznapokban megbúvó csodákról. Ez a bűbájos regény eszményi ajándék minden könyvbarátnak.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published November 2, 2020
1811 people are currently reading
44605 people want to read
About the author
Carsten Henn
13 books162 followers This author also appears as Carsten Sebastian Henn in some editions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,559 reviews
September 17, 2025
Kocyk na serduszko, przeurocza
Edit 2025: ja jej dałam tylko 4 gwiazdki? Nahhh zwiększamy do 5!
Edit 2025: ja jej dałam tylko 4 gwiazdki? Nahhh zwiększamy do 5!
March 11, 2024
My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Storygraph and The Book Review Crew Blog
This was a very charming read about an unlikely friendship between an elderly man set in his ways and a little girl looking for adventure who tries to help him. In the end, they realize they can change the lives of and help those who live on Carl's book route but also each other. Although Carl is the main character in the story to me Schascha stole the show and I liked it. I so enjoy reading books starring children, if it's done right and Henn certainly does that.
The book is a love letter to books and reading but also community. The story contains a lot of love, humour and emotional drama in equal measure. There are some traumatic parts to this book so it isn't sickly sweet or saccharine and that appealed to the part of me that likes the melodramatic. I have always believed that books have the power to change lives. They can inspire, motivate, and educate us. They can transport us to new worlds and introduce us to new ideas and The Door-to-Door Bookstore proves just that.
The Storygraph and The Book Review Crew Blog
This was a very charming read about an unlikely friendship between an elderly man set in his ways and a little girl looking for adventure who tries to help him. In the end, they realize they can change the lives of and help those who live on Carl's book route but also each other. Although Carl is the main character in the story to me Schascha stole the show and I liked it. I so enjoy reading books starring children, if it's done right and Henn certainly does that.
The book is a love letter to books and reading but also community. The story contains a lot of love, humour and emotional drama in equal measure. There are some traumatic parts to this book so it isn't sickly sweet or saccharine and that appealed to the part of me that likes the melodramatic. I have always believed that books have the power to change lives. They can inspire, motivate, and educate us. They can transport us to new worlds and introduce us to new ideas and The Door-to-Door Bookstore proves just that.
July 7, 2023
“It has been said that books find their own readers—but sometimes they need someone to show them the way.”
The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn revolves around seventy-two-year-old bookseller Carl Kollhoff once a full-time employee at City Gate Bookshop, but now whose responsibilities are limited to a special book delivery service after hours - individually packaged customized selections delivered to his customers at their doorstep. Carl, having never married and without any close family, is essentially a loner whose world revolves around books and the bookshop. He considers his customers, who are mostly loners like himself, to be his friends and has developed a special rapport with most of them.
“Carl understood people who collected books like others collected stamps: people who loved to let their gaze wander along book spines, who gathered books around themselves like a community of close friends. Inside books lived the characters to whom they felt a connection, with destinies unfolding in which they shared, or wished they could.”
Carl meets nine-year-old Schascha one evening on his delivery route. Despite his objections, she insists on accompanying him on his rounds and befriending his customers and he is surprised at how strong-willed and perceptive she is. Schascha also devises her own plan to help Carl and his customers, each of whom is dealing with their own personal struggles and unhappiness behind closed doors. However, Carl has a strained relationship with the current manager of the store, Sabine, the daughter of the owner whom Carl considered a friend and he is aware that his tenure at the bookshop is nearing its end. But he is unwilling to let anything sever the personal connections he has forged within his circle of book lovers. What follows is a beautiful story about bookshops, friendship, community and the transformative power of books.
“'Do you know, people are increasingly neglecting to read. And yet between those covers, you’ll find people, their stories. Within each book lies a heart that begins to beat when someone reads it, because it makes a connection with the reader.'”
The premise of this novel is wonderful and would appeal to book lovers and bibliophiles and those who enjoy books about books. There is much about this book that is praiseworthy including the wonderful cast of characters (including a cat with an interesting name!), the literary references and the fluid narrative with some beautifully-written passages. I truly enjoyed getting to know the characters and their backstories and loved how the author depicts the friendship between Carl, Schascha and their community of readers. The author also touches upon themes of loneliness, abuse, trauma and the importance of empathy and kindness. I loved the first half of the novel. What prevents me from giving this book a higher rating is the somewhat rushed ending and a few unresolved subplots. I do not want to give too much away but as the narrative progresses, there are elements in the story that feel contrived and unconvincing and a few threads of the narrative either remained unexplored or ended abruptly. But overall, this is a charming, feel–good read that is full of heart!
"'You see, there is no book that can please everyone. And if there were, it would be a bad book. You can’t be everyone’s friend, because everyone is different. You’d have to be completely lacking in personality, no rough edges or sharp corners. But even then, many people wouldn’t like you, because they need rough edges and sharp corners. Do you understand? Every person needs different books. Because what one person loves with all their heart, might leave another completely cold.'”
Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
"Even when an extraordinary book ends at precisely the right point, with precisely the right words, and anything further would only destroy that perfection, it still leaves us wanting more pages. That is the schizophrenia of reading."
Rating :3.75⭐️
The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn revolves around seventy-two-year-old bookseller Carl Kollhoff once a full-time employee at City Gate Bookshop, but now whose responsibilities are limited to a special book delivery service after hours - individually packaged customized selections delivered to his customers at their doorstep. Carl, having never married and without any close family, is essentially a loner whose world revolves around books and the bookshop. He considers his customers, who are mostly loners like himself, to be his friends and has developed a special rapport with most of them.
“Carl understood people who collected books like others collected stamps: people who loved to let their gaze wander along book spines, who gathered books around themselves like a community of close friends. Inside books lived the characters to whom they felt a connection, with destinies unfolding in which they shared, or wished they could.”
Carl meets nine-year-old Schascha one evening on his delivery route. Despite his objections, she insists on accompanying him on his rounds and befriending his customers and he is surprised at how strong-willed and perceptive she is. Schascha also devises her own plan to help Carl and his customers, each of whom is dealing with their own personal struggles and unhappiness behind closed doors. However, Carl has a strained relationship with the current manager of the store, Sabine, the daughter of the owner whom Carl considered a friend and he is aware that his tenure at the bookshop is nearing its end. But he is unwilling to let anything sever the personal connections he has forged within his circle of book lovers. What follows is a beautiful story about bookshops, friendship, community and the transformative power of books.
“'Do you know, people are increasingly neglecting to read. And yet between those covers, you’ll find people, their stories. Within each book lies a heart that begins to beat when someone reads it, because it makes a connection with the reader.'”
The premise of this novel is wonderful and would appeal to book lovers and bibliophiles and those who enjoy books about books. There is much about this book that is praiseworthy including the wonderful cast of characters (including a cat with an interesting name!), the literary references and the fluid narrative with some beautifully-written passages. I truly enjoyed getting to know the characters and their backstories and loved how the author depicts the friendship between Carl, Schascha and their community of readers. The author also touches upon themes of loneliness, abuse, trauma and the importance of empathy and kindness. I loved the first half of the novel. What prevents me from giving this book a higher rating is the somewhat rushed ending and a few unresolved subplots. I do not want to give too much away but as the narrative progresses, there are elements in the story that feel contrived and unconvincing and a few threads of the narrative either remained unexplored or ended abruptly. But overall, this is a charming, feel–good read that is full of heart!
"'You see, there is no book that can please everyone. And if there were, it would be a bad book. You can’t be everyone’s friend, because everyone is different. You’d have to be completely lacking in personality, no rough edges or sharp corners. But even then, many people wouldn’t like you, because they need rough edges and sharp corners. Do you understand? Every person needs different books. Because what one person loves with all their heart, might leave another completely cold.'”
Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
"Even when an extraordinary book ends at precisely the right point, with precisely the right words, and anything further would only destroy that perfection, it still leaves us wanting more pages. That is the schizophrenia of reading."
Rating :3.75⭐️
February 24, 2024
”no matter how many books i read, there will always be more that i haven’t read. that’s the tragedy. anyone who enjoys reading wants to read every good book there is.”
this is a love letter to books. it’s for all of us readers out there who prefer words on a page to the suffocating reality of life, who are enchanted by fictional worlds and charming characters — first forged in minds and then brought to life with ink and paper. it’s for the ones who’ve found themselves in books, who read because it feels more like home than anywhere else in the world.
the door-to-door bookstore follows carl kollhoff, a seventy-something “book walker” who delivers books directly to his customers’ doors. one day, as he’s making his rounds, he’s approached by a nine year old girl, chatty and inquisitive and colorful, who eventually accompanies him every evening and becomes something akin to a friend. the characters and their relationships with each other are so, so precious; i will cherish them forever. this is a book about books, yes, but it’s also about so much more than that. sometimes friends and family are found in the most unexpected people. sometimes an old man and a little girl can move each other in profound ways. sometimes, we need to embrace our differences to truly understand each other.
quotes:
“it has been said that books find their own readers—but sometimes they need someone to show them the way.”
“those books which lie closest to our hearts are precisely the books we should give away, so that they may bring others happiness.”
“if you’re a character in a book, you live forever. for as long as someone reads you, you’re alive.”
“more often than not, there was healing to be found on the page, sometimes even for ailments the reader hadn’t realized they were suffering from.”
“carl understood people who collected books like others collected stamps: people who loved to let their gaze wander along book spines, who gathered books around themselves like a community of close friends. inside books lived the characters to whom they felt a connection, with destinies unfolding in which they shared, or wished they could.”
—
4.5!!!!!! this was the cutest thing ever rtc <3
—
for fans of a man called ove?? AND it’s about books?? oh i’m going to love this.
this is a love letter to books. it’s for all of us readers out there who prefer words on a page to the suffocating reality of life, who are enchanted by fictional worlds and charming characters — first forged in minds and then brought to life with ink and paper. it’s for the ones who’ve found themselves in books, who read because it feels more like home than anywhere else in the world.
the door-to-door bookstore follows carl kollhoff, a seventy-something “book walker” who delivers books directly to his customers’ doors. one day, as he’s making his rounds, he’s approached by a nine year old girl, chatty and inquisitive and colorful, who eventually accompanies him every evening and becomes something akin to a friend. the characters and their relationships with each other are so, so precious; i will cherish them forever. this is a book about books, yes, but it’s also about so much more than that. sometimes friends and family are found in the most unexpected people. sometimes an old man and a little girl can move each other in profound ways. sometimes, we need to embrace our differences to truly understand each other.
quotes:
“it has been said that books find their own readers—but sometimes they need someone to show them the way.”
“those books which lie closest to our hearts are precisely the books we should give away, so that they may bring others happiness.”
“if you’re a character in a book, you live forever. for as long as someone reads you, you’re alive.”
“more often than not, there was healing to be found on the page, sometimes even for ailments the reader hadn’t realized they were suffering from.”
“carl understood people who collected books like others collected stamps: people who loved to let their gaze wander along book spines, who gathered books around themselves like a community of close friends. inside books lived the characters to whom they felt a connection, with destinies unfolding in which they shared, or wished they could.”
—
4.5!!!!!! this was the cutest thing ever rtc <3
—
for fans of a man called ove?? AND it’s about books?? oh i’m going to love this.
February 23, 2025
”It’s been said that books find their own readers, but sometimes they need a little help getting there.
Carl Kollhoff worked at the City Gate Bookstore for decades, delivering books right to customers' doorsteps. He's read countless books and knows them inside out. Carl has a knack for matching the right book with the right person. He even gives each customer a name from a book character, seeing countless novels reflected in the real world. Carl’s a true book lover, with all those stories gradually becoming a part of his life over the years.
When the old bookstore owner passed away and his young daughter took over as the new boss, Carl's job delivering books was in jeopardy, as if life itself was slipping away.
Then came a girl named Schascha, like an angel. At just 9 years old, she understood the old man, kept him company, and figured out the reading habits of Carl's customers one by one - the wealthy gentleman living in a villa who read a book a day and left only 3 in his room, donating the rest. The beautiful housewife, always smiling, who loved reading dark, sad stories. The muscular guy who claimed to love various literary works but seemed to have never read them. The factory worker who read to others every day. what did he read for himself? The old woman who never went out, always testing people with odd words... Everyone has their secrets, and everyone longs to be understood.
This book is a great comfort to book lovers. It reminds us why we read: words are eternal. There are things that can’t be explained no matter what. Printing thoughts and stories into books is the best way to preserve them. There are many healing remedies between the pages, but sometimes we don’t even realize we’re being healed.
Every book has a heart that starts beating when you read it because your heart connects to it. Everyone needs different books. What one person loves deeply might mean nothing to another. There are so many things in life we can't control, but we can at least choose what we want to read. No matter how much you read, there will always be more books you haven’t read. This leaves a certain regret because book lovers always want to read all the good books in the world. Paper is made of carbon, and so are humans. Books and people come from the same substance.
Bookworms are a rare and endangered species, mostly very shy. If you’ve read this far, then congratulations, you must be a bookworm too! For book lovers, a good book is like a precious gem worth cherishing for a lifetime. And this book is one of those small gems - I really love it.
Every book is our friend and deserves our careful treatment. They’re like beams of light, shining through the cracks of our hearts and illuminating our souls.
4.6 / 5 stars.
Carl Kollhoff worked at the City Gate Bookstore for decades, delivering books right to customers' doorsteps. He's read countless books and knows them inside out. Carl has a knack for matching the right book with the right person. He even gives each customer a name from a book character, seeing countless novels reflected in the real world. Carl’s a true book lover, with all those stories gradually becoming a part of his life over the years.
When the old bookstore owner passed away and his young daughter took over as the new boss, Carl's job delivering books was in jeopardy, as if life itself was slipping away.
Then came a girl named Schascha, like an angel. At just 9 years old, she understood the old man, kept him company, and figured out the reading habits of Carl's customers one by one - the wealthy gentleman living in a villa who read a book a day and left only 3 in his room, donating the rest. The beautiful housewife, always smiling, who loved reading dark, sad stories. The muscular guy who claimed to love various literary works but seemed to have never read them. The factory worker who read to others every day. what did he read for himself? The old woman who never went out, always testing people with odd words... Everyone has their secrets, and everyone longs to be understood.
This book is a great comfort to book lovers. It reminds us why we read: words are eternal. There are things that can’t be explained no matter what. Printing thoughts and stories into books is the best way to preserve them. There are many healing remedies between the pages, but sometimes we don’t even realize we’re being healed.
Every book has a heart that starts beating when you read it because your heart connects to it. Everyone needs different books. What one person loves deeply might mean nothing to another. There are so many things in life we can't control, but we can at least choose what we want to read. No matter how much you read, there will always be more books you haven’t read. This leaves a certain regret because book lovers always want to read all the good books in the world. Paper is made of carbon, and so are humans. Books and people come from the same substance.
Bookworms are a rare and endangered species, mostly very shy. If you’ve read this far, then congratulations, you must be a bookworm too! For book lovers, a good book is like a precious gem worth cherishing for a lifetime. And this book is one of those small gems - I really love it.
Every book is our friend and deserves our careful treatment. They’re like beams of light, shining through the cracks of our hearts and illuminating our souls.
4.6 / 5 stars.
July 22, 2023
In a Nutshell: A sweet story about an old bookseller and a little girl who changes his life. Loved all the bookish references. The final quarter went over the top, but overall, it was a good enough read, albeit clichéd.
Story Synopsis:
Bookish Yays:
😍 You might think that the title refers to the bookstore Carl works in, but to me, Carl *is* the door-to-door bookstore. His passion for books, his dedication to his customers, and his patience with little Schascha all make him a great lead character.
(Note: Nowadays, any old lead male character is compared to Ove. So let me clarify: Carl and Ove have nothing in common except their age and their solitude.)
😍 Loved all the bookish talks and quotes. And there are quite a few of those! The memorable lines will make you ponder or smile, perhaps both.
😍 Some of the secondary characters, especially among Carl’s customers, are quite memorable. My favourites were Mrs. Longstocking, Hercules, and The Reader. And of course, the cat named “Dog”!
😍 As an Austenite, I was thrilled to see Jane Austen’s books and characters popping up frequently, courtesy one of Carl’s clients who is nicknamed “Mr. Darcy.”
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 In many ways, Schascha’s character is the life and soul of this book, infusing every scene with her enthusiasm and vivacity. Because of her, we experience some funny interactions as well. At the same time, she breaks her promises and lies regularly to get her own way. While there is plenty to redeem her as well, I couldn’t get myself to love her unconditionally as I usually do to child characters because of her deceptive behaviour. Her dad might have taken the wrong action against Carl (and I certainly don’t condone violence as a solution), but his anger with Schascha was somewhat justified. I am sure I would have reacted with equal fury had my daughters bunked school and romped around town with a stranger.
😐 This is quite a short book, and despite the numerous characters, goes by at a steady pace. Despite this, I was not *gripped* by the plotline as it hardly ever took an unexpected turn.
Bookish Nays:
😒 Probably the only character in the book whose development is utterly lacklustre is Sabine Gruber, the bookshop manager. Her role is poorly sketched, with no valid reasons or justifications for her behaviour. It was almost as if Sabine just had to play the stock negative character without us getting to know what drew her to such extreme decisions.
😒 The final quarter of the book brought down my overall satisfaction by becoming too melodramatic. The ending is weak as well, being too contrived and overly perfect. I would have preferred something more realistic that sprung naturally from the plot, even if the outcome was bittersweet.
😒 I am never a fan of the idea: “Boys push/hit/pinch/trouble you only because they secretly love you.” Luckily, this isn't a children's book, so no little girls will be confused by this weird logic. It’s such a stupid justification!
All in all, despite the relatively dud ending and the somewhat predictable storyline, I liked this book. It appealed in myriad ways to the bibliophile in me. If you love books, you too will find many things to relish about this book. The translation seems true to the original spirit, though native German speakers might be able to judge this factor better.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Door-to-Door Bookstore”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Seventy-two-year-old Carl Kollhoff works at a bookstore handling a distinctive role. His job is to deliver books to special customers after closing hours. Carl knows these customers and their reading tastes well and respects their needs and desires.
When “nearly ten”-year-old Schascha bumps into Carl one day during his rounds and insists on accompanying him on his rounds, Carl is flustered. He has no experience with kids and doesn’t know how to handle this impetuous child. But soon, he realises that Schascha has her own wisdom to offer about his books and his routes, even when he hasn’t asked her for her advice. When Carl’s job is in danger, he needs to rethink what to do with his life, because he has always been the ‘book walker’.
The story is written in a limited third person perspective, mostly from Carl’s pov.
Bookish Yays:
😍 You might think that the title refers to the bookstore Carl works in, but to me, Carl *is* the door-to-door bookstore. His passion for books, his dedication to his customers, and his patience with little Schascha all make him a great lead character.
(Note: Nowadays, any old lead male character is compared to Ove. So let me clarify: Carl and Ove have nothing in common except their age and their solitude.)
😍 Loved all the bookish talks and quotes. And there are quite a few of those! The memorable lines will make you ponder or smile, perhaps both.
😍 Some of the secondary characters, especially among Carl’s customers, are quite memorable. My favourites were Mrs. Longstocking, Hercules, and The Reader. And of course, the cat named “Dog”!
😍 As an Austenite, I was thrilled to see Jane Austen’s books and characters popping up frequently, courtesy one of Carl’s clients who is nicknamed “Mr. Darcy.”
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 In many ways, Schascha’s character is the life and soul of this book, infusing every scene with her enthusiasm and vivacity. Because of her, we experience some funny interactions as well. At the same time, she breaks her promises and lies regularly to get her own way. While there is plenty to redeem her as well, I couldn’t get myself to love her unconditionally as I usually do to child characters because of her deceptive behaviour. Her dad might have taken the wrong action against Carl (and I certainly don’t condone violence as a solution), but his anger with Schascha was somewhat justified. I am sure I would have reacted with equal fury had my daughters bunked school and romped around town with a stranger.
😐 This is quite a short book, and despite the numerous characters, goes by at a steady pace. Despite this, I was not *gripped* by the plotline as it hardly ever took an unexpected turn.
Bookish Nays:
😒 Probably the only character in the book whose development is utterly lacklustre is Sabine Gruber, the bookshop manager. Her role is poorly sketched, with no valid reasons or justifications for her behaviour. It was almost as if Sabine just had to play the stock negative character without us getting to know what drew her to such extreme decisions.
😒 The final quarter of the book brought down my overall satisfaction by becoming too melodramatic. The ending is weak as well, being too contrived and overly perfect. I would have preferred something more realistic that sprung naturally from the plot, even if the outcome was bittersweet.
😒 I am never a fan of the idea: “Boys push/hit/pinch/trouble you only because they secretly love you.” Luckily, this isn't a children's book, so no little girls will be confused by this weird logic. It’s such a stupid justification!
All in all, despite the relatively dud ending and the somewhat predictable storyline, I liked this book. It appealed in myriad ways to the bibliophile in me. If you love books, you too will find many things to relish about this book. The translation seems true to the original spirit, though native German speakers might be able to judge this factor better.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Door-to-Door Bookstore”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
July 11, 2023
5 heartfelt and entertaining stars for this wonderful book!!
“The Door To Door Bookstore” is already an international bestseller first published in Germany. The people and circumstances will be relatable to any of us who love books and know how much they can touch and change our lives!
Carl Kohlhoff has been a bookseller for many years at his friend’s bookstore “The City Gate Bookshop”. He is now in his 70’s and has been delivering books to patrons who don’t want or can’t come to the shop themselves.
He knows these people well and is usually able to choose just the right book for them. He takes great care in wrapping the books and hand delivering them to all parts of this city that he loves.
He has a regular route and looks forward to his job every day. To Carl’s surprise one day a precocious and instantly likable girl named Schascha appears at his side. She says she watches him from her apartment and wants to help him deliver the books!! Carl is naturally hesitant but she is very persistent!!
Once Schasha starts to accompany Carl he is surprised at how much all of his readers take to the little girl. She is clever and a great people watcher and can pick up on clues about the readers that Carl has missed. She even starts to suggest different books for his readers that he hadn’t even thought of!!
To add even more enjoyment to the book we have a cat named “Dog” who of course barks instead of meows. How could I not love a novel about books and a cat???
There is more to this book than sweetness though. There is an unexpected incident that could turn Carl’s life upside down – unless he has some help from his friends.
Please pick up this book and read it – it will make you smile, laugh and feel good about yourself and others!!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my absolute pleasure to read and review this title.
“The Door To Door Bookstore” is already an international bestseller first published in Germany. The people and circumstances will be relatable to any of us who love books and know how much they can touch and change our lives!
Carl Kohlhoff has been a bookseller for many years at his friend’s bookstore “The City Gate Bookshop”. He is now in his 70’s and has been delivering books to patrons who don’t want or can’t come to the shop themselves.
He knows these people well and is usually able to choose just the right book for them. He takes great care in wrapping the books and hand delivering them to all parts of this city that he loves.
He has a regular route and looks forward to his job every day. To Carl’s surprise one day a precocious and instantly likable girl named Schascha appears at his side. She says she watches him from her apartment and wants to help him deliver the books!! Carl is naturally hesitant but she is very persistent!!
Once Schasha starts to accompany Carl he is surprised at how much all of his readers take to the little girl. She is clever and a great people watcher and can pick up on clues about the readers that Carl has missed. She even starts to suggest different books for his readers that he hadn’t even thought of!!
To add even more enjoyment to the book we have a cat named “Dog” who of course barks instead of meows. How could I not love a novel about books and a cat???
There is more to this book than sweetness though. There is an unexpected incident that could turn Carl’s life upside down – unless he has some help from his friends.
Please pick up this book and read it – it will make you smile, laugh and feel good about yourself and others!!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my absolute pleasure to read and review this title.
July 10, 2023
Very sweet story.
If you enjoy stories about books and about found family, then this book is for you! Translated from the German, this is a tale of Carl Kollhoff, a seventy-something man who delivers books for City Gate Bookshop. He has a regular route of people who, for one reason or another, don't leave their homes to purchase the books. Carl is a bit of a loner, and when nine-year old Schascha befriends him and begins to accompany him on his route, Carl's world and the world of those he delivers to gets a bit wider and brighter.
This is a beautiful novel about the power of books and friendship to change and impact lives. I smiled so many times while reading this book and grew to care for the characters. I was rooting for them to have positive outcomes and loved how Carl and Schascha were able to connect them despite obstacles in the way. I adored how much Carl cared about books and connecting them with the right readers.
Such a lovely read, highly recommended!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
If you enjoy stories about books and about found family, then this book is for you! Translated from the German, this is a tale of Carl Kollhoff, a seventy-something man who delivers books for City Gate Bookshop. He has a regular route of people who, for one reason or another, don't leave their homes to purchase the books. Carl is a bit of a loner, and when nine-year old Schascha befriends him and begins to accompany him on his route, Carl's world and the world of those he delivers to gets a bit wider and brighter.
This is a beautiful novel about the power of books and friendship to change and impact lives. I smiled so many times while reading this book and grew to care for the characters. I was rooting for them to have positive outcomes and loved how Carl and Schascha were able to connect them despite obstacles in the way. I adored how much Carl cared about books and connecting them with the right readers.
Such a lovely read, highly recommended!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
May 24, 2022
Wie kann ein Buch so schön, traurig und lustig zugleich sein?🥹😍
September 20, 2022
It's the kindest book I've read for a long time. It is a beautiful story! Very emotional with good humor and drama, and so much more. It's a book about books and as one person said there's no such thing as a bad book about books. Highly recommend!
January 1, 2024
Przepiękna ta książka — kocham takie relacje i opowieści o miłości do czytania.
March 31, 2025
I knew I was possibly heading towards love when I read the first line in this book.
“It has been said that books find their own readers – but sometimes they need someone to show them the way.”
Isn’t that the truth? Think about how we feel about books. And then look at us readers when we enter a library. Books are staring at us on the shelves. Not just stacked, or neatly in a row, but staring out at us, saying, “pick me, I am the one you want to read next.”
What do we usually do? We pick it, right?!
And, even when we venture into a bookstore, there might be some that stand out amongst the rest, with notes attached by staff members that say why they selected this book as their favorite ones. And, those sweet intimate notes tell us, the prospective reader/buyer, why we want to take that particular book home and make it our own, too.
Yes, it is always nice when others show us the way.
So, as in this book, it is not unusual, for a customer to be thrilled when long-time walking bookseller Carl Kollhoff says to one of his customers (Carl’s job is to deliver books from the bookstore he works at, by walking to people’s homes and providing personal hand delivery of those books)…
“May I recommend a book that would make ideal bedtime reading?”
And then, he tops it off with…
“This book has been waiting for you since the moment it was unpacked.”
Readers…Shall we swoon now? How can we not feel fully taken care of? Appreciated? Looked after in the best possible way?
Still Carl has his quirks. And, things aren’t as perfect for him as he would like it.
For one, the original owner has given the bookstore to his daughter. She isn’t quite enamored of Carl, even if he has known her since she was a baby.
And two, on all his walking book deliveries, Carl sees his world in books. So, the people he delivers books to aren’t known by their real names, but character names. It is easier for him to see the world that way.
And lastly, one particular day, the world brings a precocious 9-year-old named Schascha who decides to join him on his walks. What is he to do now?
“You need to read more. It makes the brain flexible, so that anything can fit into it.”
But little does he know that this change may be the beginning of something quite unique and special for him.
Could it be a new sense of community that will change lives and routines in a very exceptional way?
Shall we start a book club, perhaps?
Or have conversations with the people, he delivers books to because Schascha brings this out in him and them? And, maybe just maybe the books they read, too?
And, what about a cat named Dog? Will he find a HEA, too?
And, even as things change for Carl with his job, can readers hope for something magical to happen that will no doubt capture readers too?
Let’s just say that most likely readers will want to know what will happen to all the characters. Because, so many of them have something hidden behind their doors. And, we will become invested in all of them. And, more than anything, readers will be hopeful the most for Carl. Will he eventually come out of his shell? And, will the community be there for him, when he needs them most?
And, what about Schascha? What can readers hope for her?
This is a delightful, easy-to-read, page-turning short book that will keep readers engaged all the way to the last page.
“It has been said that books find their own readers – but sometimes they need someone to show them the way.”
Isn’t that the truth? Think about how we feel about books. And then look at us readers when we enter a library. Books are staring at us on the shelves. Not just stacked, or neatly in a row, but staring out at us, saying, “pick me, I am the one you want to read next.”
What do we usually do? We pick it, right?!
And, even when we venture into a bookstore, there might be some that stand out amongst the rest, with notes attached by staff members that say why they selected this book as their favorite ones. And, those sweet intimate notes tell us, the prospective reader/buyer, why we want to take that particular book home and make it our own, too.
Yes, it is always nice when others show us the way.
So, as in this book, it is not unusual, for a customer to be thrilled when long-time walking bookseller Carl Kollhoff says to one of his customers (Carl’s job is to deliver books from the bookstore he works at, by walking to people’s homes and providing personal hand delivery of those books)…
“May I recommend a book that would make ideal bedtime reading?”
And then, he tops it off with…
“This book has been waiting for you since the moment it was unpacked.”
Readers…Shall we swoon now? How can we not feel fully taken care of? Appreciated? Looked after in the best possible way?
Still Carl has his quirks. And, things aren’t as perfect for him as he would like it.
For one, the original owner has given the bookstore to his daughter. She isn’t quite enamored of Carl, even if he has known her since she was a baby.
And two, on all his walking book deliveries, Carl sees his world in books. So, the people he delivers books to aren’t known by their real names, but character names. It is easier for him to see the world that way.
And lastly, one particular day, the world brings a precocious 9-year-old named Schascha who decides to join him on his walks. What is he to do now?
“You need to read more. It makes the brain flexible, so that anything can fit into it.”
But little does he know that this change may be the beginning of something quite unique and special for him.
Could it be a new sense of community that will change lives and routines in a very exceptional way?
Shall we start a book club, perhaps?
Or have conversations with the people, he delivers books to because Schascha brings this out in him and them? And, maybe just maybe the books they read, too?
And, what about a cat named Dog? Will he find a HEA, too?
And, even as things change for Carl with his job, can readers hope for something magical to happen that will no doubt capture readers too?
Let’s just say that most likely readers will want to know what will happen to all the characters. Because, so many of them have something hidden behind their doors. And, we will become invested in all of them. And, more than anything, readers will be hopeful the most for Carl. Will he eventually come out of his shell? And, will the community be there for him, when he needs them most?
And, what about Schascha? What can readers hope for her?
This is a delightful, easy-to-read, page-turning short book that will keep readers engaged all the way to the last page.
March 29, 2024
FANTASTICO, EMOTIVO Y ENTRAÑALE
Con momentos de risas y de llanto. Los protagonistas, inolvidables, sobre todo Shasha.
Un libro que es una oda, tanto a los libreros, libros y a los lectores, con un montón de frases para el recuerdo:
"Hay quien dice que los libros se encuentran a sus lectores; sin embargo, a veces necesitan que alguien les muestre el camino."
"En aquella librería acababan de formular la pregunta que justifica la existencia de todas las librerías del mundo: ¿podría usted recomendarme un buen libro?"
"La palabra escrita permanecerá para siempre, porque hay cosas que no pueden expresarse mejor de ninguna otra manera. Y el libro impreso es el mejor método de conservación para los pensamientos y las historias. Por eso ha perdurado durante siglos."
"Como el antiguo propietario solía decir: "no es importante qué se lee, sino que se lea".
Carl no estaba de acuerdo con aquella máxima en todos los casos, pues algunos pensamientos encontrados entre las tapas de un libro podían actuar como un veneno. Sin embargo, era más frecuente que las páginas tuvieran un efecto sanador; en ocasiones, incluso para dolencias que uno ni siquiera sabe que necesita curar."
"Al fin y al cabo, pensó que el papel estaba compuesto de carbono, como los seres humanos. Los libros y las personas estaban hechos de la misma materia."
Valoración: 9/10
Sinopsis: A pesar de tener setenta y un años, todas las tardes después del trabajo, el librero Carl Kollhoff entrega personalmente los libros que le han encargado los clientes más especiales. Así, cada día da un agradable paseo por las pintorescas calles de la ciudad, ve cómo transcurre la vida fuera de la librería y visita a los lectores voraces que se han convertido en amigos para él. Incluso los compara con personajes de grandes clásicos de la literatura y les ha asignado un apodo muy novelesco. Por ejemplo, un cliente mayor que vive solo en una gran mansión es mister Darcy, y otro que solo lee ensayos históricos, el doctor Fausto. Cuando pierde su trabajo de forma inesperada, será necesario el poder de los libros y el de una niña de nueve años para que todos, incluido el propio Carl, encuentren el coraje para superar sus problemas y acercarse unos a otros.
Con momentos de risas y de llanto. Los protagonistas, inolvidables, sobre todo Shasha.
Un libro que es una oda, tanto a los libreros, libros y a los lectores, con un montón de frases para el recuerdo:
"Hay quien dice que los libros se encuentran a sus lectores; sin embargo, a veces necesitan que alguien les muestre el camino."
"En aquella librería acababan de formular la pregunta que justifica la existencia de todas las librerías del mundo: ¿podría usted recomendarme un buen libro?"
"La palabra escrita permanecerá para siempre, porque hay cosas que no pueden expresarse mejor de ninguna otra manera. Y el libro impreso es el mejor método de conservación para los pensamientos y las historias. Por eso ha perdurado durante siglos."
"Como el antiguo propietario solía decir: "no es importante qué se lee, sino que se lea".
Carl no estaba de acuerdo con aquella máxima en todos los casos, pues algunos pensamientos encontrados entre las tapas de un libro podían actuar como un veneno. Sin embargo, era más frecuente que las páginas tuvieran un efecto sanador; en ocasiones, incluso para dolencias que uno ni siquiera sabe que necesita curar."
"Al fin y al cabo, pensó que el papel estaba compuesto de carbono, como los seres humanos. Los libros y las personas estaban hechos de la misma materia."
Valoración: 9/10
Sinopsis: A pesar de tener setenta y un años, todas las tardes después del trabajo, el librero Carl Kollhoff entrega personalmente los libros que le han encargado los clientes más especiales. Así, cada día da un agradable paseo por las pintorescas calles de la ciudad, ve cómo transcurre la vida fuera de la librería y visita a los lectores voraces que se han convertido en amigos para él. Incluso los compara con personajes de grandes clásicos de la literatura y les ha asignado un apodo muy novelesco. Por ejemplo, un cliente mayor que vive solo en una gran mansión es mister Darcy, y otro que solo lee ensayos históricos, el doctor Fausto. Cuando pierde su trabajo de forma inesperada, será necesario el poder de los libros y el de una niña de nueve años para que todos, incluido el propio Carl, encuentren el coraje para superar sus problemas y acercarse unos a otros.
September 2, 2024
If you want a book 📖 that will make you feel all fuzzy inside The DoorTo Door Bookshop by Carsten Henn narrated by Rafael Corkhill is for you & what is even better the prose is all about books.
Carl Kollhoff is 72 & is very lonely but spends his time delivering books by hand to his loyal customers he knows their every desire & preference carefully selecting the right book for each person.
He lives with his cat named dog who just hangs around for the treats but underneath he loves her, while out doing his deliveries he meets a young girl 👧 named SchaScha who is 9 years old she is always getting picked on by the kids at school but they form a friendship even though the age difference is long.
As we go along in this book they both learn something new from each other I loved Scha Scha her dialogue with Carl was so funny at times the banter between the two characters were timeless all the stars for this uplifting heartwarming story.
Carl Kollhoff is 72 & is very lonely but spends his time delivering books by hand to his loyal customers he knows their every desire & preference carefully selecting the right book for each person.
He lives with his cat named dog who just hangs around for the treats but underneath he loves her, while out doing his deliveries he meets a young girl 👧 named SchaScha who is 9 years old she is always getting picked on by the kids at school but they form a friendship even though the age difference is long.
As we go along in this book they both learn something new from each other I loved Scha Scha her dialogue with Carl was so funny at times the banter between the two characters were timeless all the stars for this uplifting heartwarming story.
August 5, 2021
3,5 Sterne
Ich hatte ein bisschen mehr erwartet. Die Geschichte rund um den Buchhändler Carl Kollhoff ist warmherzig und kurzweilig, sprachlich teilweise ganz einfallsreich. Insgesamt fühlte es sich für mich eher wie eine Parabel an, anstatt einer Geschichte mit lebensechten Figuren. An manchen Stellen waren es für mich auch zu viele gewollt illustre Charaktere, denen ich in der Kürze nicht so nahekommen konnte. Schade fand ich außerdem, dass das Verhalten von Gegenspielern entweder extrem überzogen gezeigt wurde (passte aber zum Parabelgefühl), oder ziemlich lapidar wegerzählt wurde.
Inhaltswarnung: häusliche Gewalt, Altersarmut, gewaltsamer Überfall, Mobbing auf der Arbeit, Agoraphobie
Ich hatte ein bisschen mehr erwartet. Die Geschichte rund um den Buchhändler Carl Kollhoff ist warmherzig und kurzweilig, sprachlich teilweise ganz einfallsreich. Insgesamt fühlte es sich für mich eher wie eine Parabel an, anstatt einer Geschichte mit lebensechten Figuren. An manchen Stellen waren es für mich auch zu viele gewollt illustre Charaktere, denen ich in der Kürze nicht so nahekommen konnte. Schade fand ich außerdem, dass das Verhalten von Gegenspielern entweder extrem überzogen gezeigt wurde (passte aber zum Parabelgefühl), oder ziemlich lapidar wegerzählt wurde.
Inhaltswarnung: häusliche Gewalt, Altersarmut, gewaltsamer Überfall, Mobbing auf der Arbeit, Agoraphobie
April 14, 2022
Przepiękna, wypełniona ciepłem lektura opowiadająca o książkach. Historia jest absolutnie niepowtarzalna i zupełnie porwała moje serce. Nowy comfort read, dawno nie uśmiechałam się tak podczas czytania-
May 29, 2024
أربع نجمات ونصف ⭐
كولهوف العجوز الرائع 😊😊
كولهوف عنده ٧٢ سنة ، الحاجة اللي قضى حياته يعملها انه يوصل كتب للناس في المدينة اللى هو عايش فيها..
شغله ده هو الشئ الوحيد اللي بيحسسه انه عايش و ليه وجود.
المعنى الحقيقي لحياته بيلاقيه وسط الكتب وبرغم ان طريقته القديمة في التوصيل شبه انقرضت من العالم حواليه إلا انه كان قادر يكون مجموعة من الناس بالنسبة لهم كولهوف جزء من روتين حياتهم ميقدروش يستغنوا عنه..
بتدخل حياته بنت عندها تسع سنين وبتقلبها وبتبتدي حياته وحياة عملائه تتغير تماما..
قراءة بتدفي القلب وبتجسد قوة الكتاب والكلمة المكتوبة اللي قادرة تغير حياة إنسان.
استمتعت بيها جدا جدا وتااااني قراءة في السنة احس انها محتاجة شتا 😊
كولهوف العجوز الرائع 😊😊
كولهوف عنده ٧٢ سنة ، الحاجة اللي قضى حياته يعملها انه يوصل كتب للناس في المدينة اللى هو عايش فيها..
شغله ده هو الشئ الوحيد اللي بيحسسه انه عايش و ليه وجود.
المعنى الحقيقي لحياته بيلاقيه وسط الكتب وبرغم ان طريقته القديمة في التوصيل شبه انقرضت من العالم حواليه إلا انه كان قادر يكون مجموعة من الناس بالنسبة لهم كولهوف جزء من روتين حياتهم ميقدروش يستغنوا عنه..
بتدخل حياته بنت عندها تسع سنين وبتقلبها وبتبتدي حياته وحياة عملائه تتغير تماما..
قراءة بتدفي القلب وبتجسد قوة الكتاب والكلمة المكتوبة اللي قادرة تغير حياة إنسان.
استمتعت بيها جدا جدا وتااااني قراءة في السنة احس انها محتاجة شتا 😊
February 14, 2024
4.5★
This is a wonderful story and I loved it from start to finish. The characters were adorable and you couldn’t help but love them. I’m not sure what made me read this book. Maybe I saw it on the shelf at my library or I had read a review on it, but for whatever reason I’m so glad I decided to read it. A beautifully told story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended.
This is a wonderful story and I loved it from start to finish. The characters were adorable and you couldn’t help but love them. I’m not sure what made me read this book. Maybe I saw it on the shelf at my library or I had read a review on it, but for whatever reason I’m so glad I decided to read it. A beautifully told story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended.
August 17, 2024
Minunată carte! Începe molcom, așezat, dar devine o poveste plină de tandrețe, de profunzime, de semnificație. Sunt tare plăcute personajele din prim-plan, dar mai ales legăturile dintre ele sunt foarte emoționante. Negustorul de cărți Carl este întruchiparea zicalei că what goes around comes around și m-am bucurat tare mult de *acel* sfârșit. O carte care se parcurge repejor, este ideală pentru iubitorii de cărți, are o intrigă pe alocuri tensionată, prezintă personaje conturate bine și nu îți pune creierul pe bigudiuri. E o combinație perfectă pentru o lectură de weekend sau de vacanță. Mi-a plăcut tare mult, mi-au dat puțin lacrimile, și o recomand cu căldură mai departe!
January 24, 2024
it was such a cute read
rtc later!!
rtc later!!
July 25, 2024
I read this as a buddy read with Hilary. I might not have continued reading the book otherwise. I didn’t enjoy the book but it was a fun book to discuss.
I can’t wait to read & reread some reviews to see why so many readers enjoyed this book and to also see if anyone is in agreement with me (and Hilary) and assigned it with a low star rating. It has a very high average rating on Goodreads???
This book seemed to have everything that would make it a book I would enjoy. Books, bookstores, a child character. It was a huge disappointment though.
I do always wonder when I have problems with translated books if some of the issue is the translation but I really don’t think that is the case here. That said, I’d have read it in German if I could have done that.
There are seven chapters but my hardcover edition book had no Table of Contents at the front of the book. 1: A Man for All Seasons. 2: The Stranger. 3: The Red and the Black. 4: Great Expectations. 5: Words. 6: Tracks. 7: Journey to the End of the Night. We read and discussed one section at a time. The original intent was to read one a day but we did it faster, partly because this was so short and partly because we were eager for it to be over. Ha! The book dragged so it being a fast read was a huge plus.
I think that the story is supposed to be heartwarming and maybe even amusing but I found it tedious, creepy, and forced and I did not find it funny. I am shocked that I didn’t at least eventually like it. The "twist" at the end that
It seemed so weird that I kept wondering if everything and everybody was just in Carl’s head. Things happened toward the end that had me thinking my theory was correct
I thought I would love it once the little girl character entered the picture but that didn’t improve it for me and then it got even worse. She didn’t act and sound like an age nine going on 10 girl at all.
I do like the books and the sense of community coming out and some of the stuff about books, but it seemed to ridiculously forced and it was kind of boring. I wanted to enjoy most of the characters but I didn’t.
I found it really peculiar that in a contemporary book that a young girl would follow a man (who started off as a stranger to her) around and would go into strangers’ home with him and really, really creepy (and as Hillary said: inappropriate) when they were arguing and he didn’t want her to accompany him so he pretended to grab her and snatch her, and that he went to all of the town’s seven elementary schools looking for her when she did stop joining him in order to ask if she went to school there. When the adults told him off to then he asked the schoolchildren directly. Not okay!
The Mexican street scene was ridiculous.
Even the cat (named Dog) did not charm me.
It got very dark. The dark parts were not handled with appropriate gravity.
I intensely disliked Sabine despite even though I understood what could make her the way she is even before what is revealed about her. Interestingly, those strong feelings didn’t make me care about her or Carl or the story. I was mostly indifferent, not a good sign when reading a book.
Okay, so they solve people’s problems, or try to do that: pairing up the illiterate man & the retired elementary school teacher, and the man who wrote a book he didn’t have the courage to put out into the world and the people at the factory to whom is regularly read but gave him his own book to read. I should like this but I was left cold. Hilary used the perfect words for their meddling: silly and patronizing.
I liked the garden flower clock but Hilary knows botany and said the author does not so even that was ruined for me. I’m glad it was. Authors really should do their research. Readers such as myself who are ignorant about those flowers and when they bloom are taking in misinformation and for those who know the information is wrong will find it annoying and it will take them out of the story, even if the story had been good.
No matter how bright and well-read how could a nine year old girl do bibliotherapy for adult readers even with the help of a bookstore owner?! I guess it was a kind thought and (of course in this trite book) it sometimes worked but it felt unrealistic and preposterous.
Some lovely things said about books and about reading and about readers but too forced, forced being the operative word for the entire plot.
The extra half star is for a few good quotes and the premise and not that much else.
“…woke feeling like a book with missing pages. The sensation had been growing…that perhaps there was not much paper left between the covers of his life story.”
“…understood people who collected books…people who let their gaze wander along book spines, who gathered books around themselves like a community of close friends. Inside books lived the characters to whom they felt a connection, with destinies unfolding in which they shared, or wished they could.”
I wish that Hilary was still here writing reviews but she gave me permission to add her words. (I should have taken notes about my own words too during our email chats so I could include more of what I said too and maybe I will make edits. I doubt it though since I’m eager to be DONE with this book. Some of the brilliant things that Hilary notes are:
I don’t understand why this relationship between a nine year old girl and an older man (unknown to the girl’s father until he did find out and at least once with him when she was supposed to be in school) did not bother more readers or, if it did why it’s such a highly rated book.
I was so glad that this is a book written for adults and not for children!!!
I wanted to like it but in the end it wasn’t even okay for me. A rare 1 star rating for me.
I usually have the hardest time reviewing books I love but I had maybe the hardest time getting down anything for this book, a book that I did not like. I know I’ve already forgotten a lot of my thoughts and my parts of the buddy read conversation but I’m so glad to be done with the book I might not try to edit/add anything to this review.
Off to read some reviews to see what in the heck I might have missed…I can’t imagine agreeing with the readers who liked it though. I guess not all “international best sellers” are going to work for me.
1-1/2 stars
I can’t wait to read & reread some reviews to see why so many readers enjoyed this book and to also see if anyone is in agreement with me (and Hilary) and assigned it with a low star rating. It has a very high average rating on Goodreads???
This book seemed to have everything that would make it a book I would enjoy. Books, bookstores, a child character. It was a huge disappointment though.
I do always wonder when I have problems with translated books if some of the issue is the translation but I really don’t think that is the case here. That said, I’d have read it in German if I could have done that.
There are seven chapters but my hardcover edition book had no Table of Contents at the front of the book. 1: A Man for All Seasons. 2: The Stranger. 3: The Red and the Black. 4: Great Expectations. 5: Words. 6: Tracks. 7: Journey to the End of the Night. We read and discussed one section at a time. The original intent was to read one a day but we did it faster, partly because this was so short and partly because we were eager for it to be over. Ha! The book dragged so it being a fast read was a huge plus.
I think that the story is supposed to be heartwarming and maybe even amusing but I found it tedious, creepy, and forced and I did not find it funny. I am shocked that I didn’t at least eventually like it. The "twist" at the end that
It seemed so weird that I kept wondering if everything and everybody was just in Carl’s head. Things happened toward the end that had me thinking my theory was correct
I thought I would love it once the little girl character entered the picture but that didn’t improve it for me and then it got even worse. She didn’t act and sound like an age nine going on 10 girl at all.
I do like the books and the sense of community coming out and some of the stuff about books, but it seemed to ridiculously forced and it was kind of boring. I wanted to enjoy most of the characters but I didn’t.
I found it really peculiar that in a contemporary book that a young girl would follow a man (who started off as a stranger to her) around and would go into strangers’ home with him and really, really creepy (and as Hillary said: inappropriate) when they were arguing and he didn’t want her to accompany him so he pretended to grab her and snatch her, and that he went to all of the town’s seven elementary schools looking for her when she did stop joining him in order to ask if she went to school there. When the adults told him off to then he asked the schoolchildren directly. Not okay!
The Mexican street scene was ridiculous.
Even the cat (named Dog) did not charm me.
It got very dark. The dark parts were not handled with appropriate gravity.
I intensely disliked Sabine despite even though I understood what could make her the way she is even before what is revealed about her. Interestingly, those strong feelings didn’t make me care about her or Carl or the story. I was mostly indifferent, not a good sign when reading a book.
Okay, so they solve people’s problems, or try to do that: pairing up the illiterate man & the retired elementary school teacher, and the man who wrote a book he didn’t have the courage to put out into the world and the people at the factory to whom is regularly read but gave him his own book to read. I should like this but I was left cold. Hilary used the perfect words for their meddling: silly and patronizing.
I liked the garden flower clock but Hilary knows botany and said the author does not so even that was ruined for me. I’m glad it was. Authors really should do their research. Readers such as myself who are ignorant about those flowers and when they bloom are taking in misinformation and for those who know the information is wrong will find it annoying and it will take them out of the story, even if the story had been good.
No matter how bright and well-read how could a nine year old girl do bibliotherapy for adult readers even with the help of a bookstore owner?! I guess it was a kind thought and (of course in this trite book) it sometimes worked but it felt unrealistic and preposterous.
Some lovely things said about books and about reading and about readers but too forced, forced being the operative word for the entire plot.
The extra half star is for a few good quotes and the premise and not that much else.
“…woke feeling like a book with missing pages. The sensation had been growing…that perhaps there was not much paper left between the covers of his life story.”
“…understood people who collected books…people who let their gaze wander along book spines, who gathered books around themselves like a community of close friends. Inside books lived the characters to whom they felt a connection, with destinies unfolding in which they shared, or wished they could.”
I wish that Hilary was still here writing reviews but she gave me permission to add her words. (I should have taken notes about my own words too during our email chats so I could include more of what I said too and maybe I will make edits. I doubt it though since I’m eager to be DONE with this book. Some of the brilliant things that Hilary notes are:
I don’t understand why this relationship between a nine year old girl and an older man (unknown to the girl’s father until he did find out and at least once with him when she was supposed to be in school) did not bother more readers or, if it did why it’s such a highly rated book.
I was so glad that this is a book written for adults and not for children!!!
I wanted to like it but in the end it wasn’t even okay for me. A rare 1 star rating for me.
I usually have the hardest time reviewing books I love but I had maybe the hardest time getting down anything for this book, a book that I did not like. I know I’ve already forgotten a lot of my thoughts and my parts of the buddy read conversation but I’m so glad to be done with the book I might not try to edit/add anything to this review.
Off to read some reviews to see what in the heck I might have missed…I can’t imagine agreeing with the readers who liked it though. I guess not all “international best sellers” are going to work for me.
1-1/2 stars
October 17, 2022
“El hombre que paseaba con libros” es ese tipo de novela que empiezas sin expectativas de ningún tipo y que termina conquistándote irremediablemente ya que, aunque parece una historia “pequeñita”, encierra en sus páginas un mensaje muy grande. Te hará sonreír, te hará emocionarte, te hará sufrir ante las injusticias pero, por encima de todo, te hará darte cuenta del poder de las personas buenas.
“Por muchos libros que leas, siempre hay más que no has leído. Eso es lo triste. Si te gusta la lectura, nunca tienes bastante, siempre deseas leer todos los libros buenos”.
Si eres amante de los libros y te ves reflejado en esa cita, entonces este libro es para ti, porque “El hombre que paseaba con libros” es, ante todo, una carta de amor a los libros, al poder de la lectura, a cómo los libros nos permiten vivir mil vidas, siendo en momentos de soledad aquellos que nos hacen sentir acompañados o, en algunas situaciones, los mejores aliados para permitirnos escapar y salvarnos de nosotros mismos.
Carl Kollhoff ha dedicado su vida a los libros. A sus 71 años aún trabaja en una librería y cada tarde se dedica a repartir entre sus clientes más especiales los encargos que éstos han realizado. Durante uno de esos paseos conocerá a Shasha, una niña de 9 años que pondrá su mundo patas arriba, surgiendo entre ambos una preciosa amistad que cambiará sus vidas y las de los lectores a su alrededor.
He de reconocer que las historias con amistades entre personas mayores y niños son mi debilidad. El contraste entre la actitud ante la vida de una persona que ya ha vivido (casi) todo y la frescura e inocencia en la forma de ver la vida de un niño, dan lugar a situaciones que hacen reflexionar y permiten ver como ambos pueden aprender y nutrirse del otro. Y eso es lo que le ocurre a Carl, que Shasha consigue que abra su mente a cosas que él, acostumbrado a hacer las cosas a su manera, nunca se había planteado. La serenidad de su vejez se verá revolucionada por la sabiduría de una niña, y esto, unido al poder de los libros, hará que las vidas de aquellos a su alrededor salgan de la oscuridad en la que estaban envueltas.
Historia tierna y emotiva pero dura al mismo tiempo, especialmente al mostrar la forma en que muchos mayores son tratados por las nuevas generaciones al alcanzarte cierta edad, como si su papel en la sociedad tuviese fecha de caducidad y hubiese que apartarlos de todo.
“El hombre que paseaba con libros” es una historia acerca de los libros y su poder sanador, la soledad, la importancia de escuchar y la capacidad de sobreponerse a las adversidades. Si te gustan los libros, tienes que leerlo.
“Por muchos libros que leas, siempre hay más que no has leído. Eso es lo triste. Si te gusta la lectura, nunca tienes bastante, siempre deseas leer todos los libros buenos”.
Si eres amante de los libros y te ves reflejado en esa cita, entonces este libro es para ti, porque “El hombre que paseaba con libros” es, ante todo, una carta de amor a los libros, al poder de la lectura, a cómo los libros nos permiten vivir mil vidas, siendo en momentos de soledad aquellos que nos hacen sentir acompañados o, en algunas situaciones, los mejores aliados para permitirnos escapar y salvarnos de nosotros mismos.
Carl Kollhoff ha dedicado su vida a los libros. A sus 71 años aún trabaja en una librería y cada tarde se dedica a repartir entre sus clientes más especiales los encargos que éstos han realizado. Durante uno de esos paseos conocerá a Shasha, una niña de 9 años que pondrá su mundo patas arriba, surgiendo entre ambos una preciosa amistad que cambiará sus vidas y las de los lectores a su alrededor.
He de reconocer que las historias con amistades entre personas mayores y niños son mi debilidad. El contraste entre la actitud ante la vida de una persona que ya ha vivido (casi) todo y la frescura e inocencia en la forma de ver la vida de un niño, dan lugar a situaciones que hacen reflexionar y permiten ver como ambos pueden aprender y nutrirse del otro. Y eso es lo que le ocurre a Carl, que Shasha consigue que abra su mente a cosas que él, acostumbrado a hacer las cosas a su manera, nunca se había planteado. La serenidad de su vejez se verá revolucionada por la sabiduría de una niña, y esto, unido al poder de los libros, hará que las vidas de aquellos a su alrededor salgan de la oscuridad en la que estaban envueltas.
Historia tierna y emotiva pero dura al mismo tiempo, especialmente al mostrar la forma en que muchos mayores son tratados por las nuevas generaciones al alcanzarte cierta edad, como si su papel en la sociedad tuviese fecha de caducidad y hubiese que apartarlos de todo.
“El hombre que paseaba con libros” es una historia acerca de los libros y su poder sanador, la soledad, la importancia de escuchar y la capacidad de sobreponerse a las adversidades. Si te gustan los libros, tienes que leerlo.
June 23, 2023
Five glowing, brilliant stars for this charming and adorable book which I totally loved!
Description:
The bookseller Carl Christian Kollhoff delivers books to special customers in the evening hours after closing time, walking through the picturesque alleys of the city. These people are almost like friends to him, and he is their most important connection to the world.
When Kollhoff unexpectedly loses his job, it takes the power of books and a nine-year-old girl to make them all find the courage to rebuild their bonds with each other.
My thoughts:
I loved every minute I spent with this book. It is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I was quickly drawn into the story and the life of Carl Kollhoff and his little friend, Sascha, who befriends him as she follows him on his door to door book deliveries. Such a kind and heartwarming story!
Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on July 4, 2023.
Description:
The bookseller Carl Christian Kollhoff delivers books to special customers in the evening hours after closing time, walking through the picturesque alleys of the city. These people are almost like friends to him, and he is their most important connection to the world.
When Kollhoff unexpectedly loses his job, it takes the power of books and a nine-year-old girl to make them all find the courage to rebuild their bonds with each other.
My thoughts:
I loved every minute I spent with this book. It is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I was quickly drawn into the story and the life of Carl Kollhoff and his little friend, Sascha, who befriends him as she follows him on his door to door book deliveries. Such a kind and heartwarming story!
Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on July 4, 2023.
May 14, 2021
Schon lange habe ich kein Hörbuch mehr so schnell gehört wie dieses hier: Wundervolle, herzerwärmende Geschichte mit Tiefgang und der wohl passendste Sprecher aller Zeiten, ganz viel Liebe für dieses Werk ♥️
September 16, 2022
Niby książka a jednak kocyk 🥰
June 11, 2023
“Within each book lies a heart that begins to beat when someone reads it because it makes a connection with the reader.”
This is one of those books that speaks to your soul. It encompasses you in its arms, hugs you tight and leaves you a changed reader. ⭐Don’t miss out on this one.⭐ I know it will soon be the must-read book of 2023.
In short, it’s about an unlikely friendship between a lonely elderly man, a door-to-door bookseller, and a nine-year-old girl he meets along his route. This friendship changes lives.
Carl Kollhoff lives in a small German town where he delivers books to shut-ins after his shift at the local bookstore. He considers his clients as friends and they consider him their lifeline to the outside world. His world comes crashing down around him on the day there’s restructuring at work and he loses his job.
“Carl understood people who collected books like others collected stamps: people who loved to let their gaze wander along book spines, who gathered books around themselves like a community of friends. Inside books lived the characters to whom they felt a connection, with destinies unfolding in which they shared, or wished they could.”
You’ll read about how the power of books to heal and rebuild a future, about friendship and about the courage it takes to start over.
❤ This book will be on my forever shelf and I know I’ll reach for it again and again. ❤
I was gifted this book by Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
This is one of those books that speaks to your soul. It encompasses you in its arms, hugs you tight and leaves you a changed reader. ⭐Don’t miss out on this one.⭐ I know it will soon be the must-read book of 2023.
In short, it’s about an unlikely friendship between a lonely elderly man, a door-to-door bookseller, and a nine-year-old girl he meets along his route. This friendship changes lives.
Carl Kollhoff lives in a small German town where he delivers books to shut-ins after his shift at the local bookstore. He considers his clients as friends and they consider him their lifeline to the outside world. His world comes crashing down around him on the day there’s restructuring at work and he loses his job.
“Carl understood people who collected books like others collected stamps: people who loved to let their gaze wander along book spines, who gathered books around themselves like a community of friends. Inside books lived the characters to whom they felt a connection, with destinies unfolding in which they shared, or wished they could.”
You’ll read about how the power of books to heal and rebuild a future, about friendship and about the courage it takes to start over.
❤ This book will be on my forever shelf and I know I’ll reach for it again and again. ❤
I was gifted this book by Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
February 19, 2024
This book is a testament to the fact that not only do we need books in our lives (heed this my fellow readers!), but we also need people! People to appreciate books with us but also to be there when we need help.
We meet Carl, a 70 yr old man who works in a bookstore- his job is choosing and delivering books to his customers. These are customers who are reluctant to venture outside their homes, for various reasons. One day, a 9 yr old girl , Schascha, joins Carl- she has been watching him from her window and wants to come along. She is absolutely precocious. Carl reluctantly lets her come along. We get to know all his customers, to whom Carl has given a literary name.
This was a totally enjoyable listen. One of those books that brings a smile to the reader. But it is not all sweetness- bad stuff does happen. I love reading books about books and bookish people. I love how books can unite people!
This book was narrated by Raphael Corkhill. I think he did a great job!
Published: 2023
We meet Carl, a 70 yr old man who works in a bookstore- his job is choosing and delivering books to his customers. These are customers who are reluctant to venture outside their homes, for various reasons. One day, a 9 yr old girl , Schascha, joins Carl- she has been watching him from her window and wants to come along. She is absolutely precocious. Carl reluctantly lets her come along. We get to know all his customers, to whom Carl has given a literary name.
This was a totally enjoyable listen. One of those books that brings a smile to the reader. But it is not all sweetness- bad stuff does happen. I love reading books about books and bookish people. I love how books can unite people!
This book was narrated by Raphael Corkhill. I think he did a great job!
Published: 2023
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November 21, 2021Карстен Хен - "Човекът, който разхождаше книги", изд. "Ера" 2021, прев. Ваня Пенева
Нощес** **към полунощ дочетох едно от най-добрите си книжни попадения за тази година.
Момент - "попадения" ли казах? Всъщност думата не е съвсем точна. Защото тази книга беше набелязана - реших, че трябва да я прочета още щом разбрах, че излиза. Аз съм човек, който работи с книги, чете във всяка свободна минута, а и... нямаше начин да пропусна книга, свързана с книги или книжарници.
Само дето се оказа, че **"Човекът, който разхождаше книги" **е много, безкрайно много повече от поредната книга за книжарници.
А в началото е много лесно да си го помислите. И да си кажете: "Ама пак ли?", особено защото и тук я има онази идея, че за всеки човек има точната книга и че книгите намират читателите си. Само че тук тя е предадена много фино - и е допълнена с друга: че книгите, които четем, невинаги са тези, от кооито се нуждаем. И че книгите наистина могат да спасят живота - или, още по-важно - душата на човек. И друго - че за да работиш с книги, трябва да си човек "от по-особена порода" - ако искаш да бъдеш нещо повече от продавач на книги. И дори - макар да е ясно, че това невинаги е възможно - че не бива да продаваш книги, ако не ги обичаш.
**"Човекът, който разхождаше книги" **може, разбира се, да се разглежда като историята на книжар, загубил работата си, на човек, станал ненужен. Но това е само на повърхността. Защото за Карл това, което прави, не е просто работа. То е мисия, то е спасение - за него и за неговите клиенти. То е животът му. то е нещото, което го движи.
Интерсеното в тази книга обаче не е само това, ч„че тя е история за книги. Героите в тази история също са впечатляващи. Всеки от тях е клиент на Карл, с всичките си капризи и предпочитания - пристрастеността към трагични истории, неприязънта към зелени корици, стремежът към откриване на грешки. Много ми беше интересен навикът на Карл да кръщава клиентите си с имена на герои от книги или митологични персонажи - в един момент дори се запитах какво име би дал на мен.
Тази книга има душа. И колкото и да не обичам да цитирам анотации и отзиви, тя наистина е "затрогваща история за любовта към книгите и хората". За любовта на Карл към книгите и предаността му - да, именно преданост, а не просто лоялност - към неговите клиенти. За смелостта да продължиш дори когато са ти казали, че пътят ти вече е извървян. За решителността да дадеш на някого не това, което иска, а това, от което знаеш, че се нуждае., и да го подтикнеш към промяната, която може да го спаси. За дързостта и упорството на едно малко момиче да настоява да бъде виждано и чувано дори когато е на пръв поглед нежелано.
Всяка глава от книгата всъщност е заглавие на книга. С неудобство си признавам, че не съм чела нито една от споменатите книги. Със сигурност обаче ще го направя. Може би не всички, но поне някои.
Книгата е затрогваща с много неща - с обичта на Карл към книгите и верността му към неговите клиенти, с решителността на Шаша, с постепенното разкриване на същността на клиентите на Карл... и с края - чудесния край, за който, честно казано, почти докрая не вярвах, че е въ��можен.
Беше ми много интересен и стилът на писане - на пръв поглед приятен, лек, но в същото време притегателен и завладяващ, без да разчита на дълбокомислено и натруфено писане.
Другото, което усетих от един момент нататък и това усещане не ме напусна до края - имах чувството, че тази книга е едновременно за деца и за възрастни. Имаше моменти, за които си казвах, че са твърде тежки, за да бъдат разбрани от едно дете, и в следващия момент попадах на нещо, за което си казвах: "Няма начин възрастен човек да разбере напълно това". На моменти начинът на разказване безкрайно ми напомняше на Джани Родари - особено за "Джелсомино" и някои от приказките.
Нека завърша с две мисли от тази книга, едната от които цитирам по памет: "Книгите намират читателите, но някой трябва да им покаже пътя". Но и "Защото книгите се нуждаят от човек, който да им покаже правилния път".
Много книги намериха пътя си до мен през годините. И се радвам, че тази беше една от тях.
0 Comments
Нощес** **към полунощ дочетох едно от най-добрите си книжни попадения за тази година.
Момент - "попадения" ли казах? Всъщност думата не е съвсем точна. Защото тази книга беше набелязана - реших, че трябва да я прочета още щом разбрах, че излиза. Аз съм човек, който работи с книги, чете във всяка свободна минута, а и... нямаше начин да пропусна книга, свързана с книги или книжарници.
Само дето се оказа, че **"Човекът, който разхождаше книги" **е много, безкрайно много повече от поредната книга за книжарници.
А в началото е много лесно да си го помислите. И да си кажете: "Ама пак ли?", особено защото и тук я има онази идея, че за всеки човек има точната книга и че книгите намират читателите си. Само че тук тя е предадена много фино - и е допълнена с друга: че книгите, които четем, невинаги са тези, от кооито се нуждаем. И че книгите наистина могат да спасят живота - или, още по-важно - душата на човек. И друго - че за да работиш с книги, трябва да си човек "от по-особена порода" - ако искаш да бъдеш нещо повече от продавач на книги. И дори - макар да е ясно, че това невинаги е възможно - че не бива да продаваш книги, ако не ги обичаш.
**"Човекът, който разхождаше книги" **може, разбира се, да се разглежда като историята на книжар, загубил работата си, на човек, станал ненужен. Но това е само на повърхността. Защото за Карл това, което прави, не е просто работа. То е мисия, то е спасение - за него и за неговите клиенти. То е животът му. то е нещото, което го движи.
Интерсеното в тази книга обаче не е само това, ч„че тя е история за книги. Героите в тази история също са впечатляващи. Всеки от тях е клиент на Карл, с всичките си капризи и предпочитания - пристрастеността към трагични истории, неприязънта към зелени корици, стремежът към откриване на грешки. Много ми беше интересен навикът на Карл да кръщава клиентите си с имена на герои от книги или митологични персонажи - в един момент дори се запитах какво име би дал на мен.
Тази книга има душа. И колкото и да не обичам да цитирам анотации и отзиви, тя наистина е "затрогваща история за любовта към книгите и хората". За любовта на Карл към книгите и предаността му - да, именно преданост, а не просто лоялност - към неговите клиенти. За смелостта да продължиш дори когато са ти казали, че пътят ти вече е извървян. За решителността да дадеш на някого не това, което иска, а това, от което знаеш, че се нуждае., и да го подтикнеш към промяната, която може да го спаси. За дързостта и упорството на едно малко момиче да настоява да бъде виждано и чувано дори когато е на пръв поглед нежелано.
Всяка глава от книгата всъщност е заглавие на книга. С неудобство си признавам, че не съм чела нито една от споменатите книги. Със сигурност обаче ще го направя. Може би не всички, но поне някои.
Книгата е затрогваща с много неща - с обичта на Карл към книгите и верността му към неговите клиенти, с решителността на Шаша, с постепенното разкриване на същността на клиентите на Карл... и с края - чудесния край, за който, честно казано, почти докрая не вярвах, че е въ��можен.
Беше ми много интересен и стилът на писане - на пръв поглед приятен, лек, но в същото време притегателен и завладяващ, без да разчита на дълбокомислено и натруфено писане.
Другото, което усетих от един момент нататък и това усещане не ме напусна до края - имах чувството, че тази книга е едновременно за деца и за възрастни. Имаше моменти, за които си казвах, че са твърде тежки, за да бъдат разбрани от едно дете, и в следващия момент попадах на нещо, за което си казвах: "Няма начин възрастен човек да разбере напълно това". На моменти начинът на разказване безкрайно ми напомняше на Джани Родари - особено за "Джелсомино" и някои от приказките.
Нека завърша с две мисли от тази книга, едната от които цитирам по памет: "Книгите намират читателите, но някой трябва да им покаже пътя". Но и "Защото книгите се нуждаят от човек, който да им покаже правилния път".
Много книги намериха пътя си до мен през годините. И се радвам, че тази беше една от тях.
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July 30, 2023
This is 100% a book lover’s book. It’s only 239 pages but a page turner because of the characters.
Elderly Carl Kollhoff is now the door to door delivery man for the book store where he was a full time employee. Carl is completely happy with his job and with the clients he delivers books to – he travels on foot and has a set path each day.
Nine year old Schascha literally ambushes Carl one evening as he begins his route and invites herself along. While Carl is not entirely pleased Schascha is hard to ignore. She refers to Carl as the “Book Walker” and they are destined to become friends.
This is not highfalutin literature it’s just a charming, delightful read about the unlikely friendship between an elderly man, a nine year old girl, a cast of entertaining characters, and of course, books and lovers of books.
“Because the books needed someone to show them the way.”
Elderly Carl Kollhoff is now the door to door delivery man for the book store where he was a full time employee. Carl is completely happy with his job and with the clients he delivers books to – he travels on foot and has a set path each day.
Nine year old Schascha literally ambushes Carl one evening as he begins his route and invites herself along. While Carl is not entirely pleased Schascha is hard to ignore. She refers to Carl as the “Book Walker” and they are destined to become friends.
This is not highfalutin literature it’s just a charming, delightful read about the unlikely friendship between an elderly man, a nine year old girl, a cast of entertaining characters, and of course, books and lovers of books.
“Because the books needed someone to show them the way.”
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