The Book Wanderer

In the evenings, after the bookshop closes its doors, bookseller Carl Kollhoff sets out to visit his special customers. To those for whom the books he has chosen truly matter, he brings them carefully wrapped as gifts to their homes. For them, he is the most important connection to a world that grows ever more confusing. With his evening visits, he gives them a sense of meaning and takes away their loneliness. And his own as well. Because when he comes home, emptiness awaits him.

Then Schascha appears. She is nine years old, full of questions - and above all, opinions. Moreover, she has a habit of getting her way. Before he knows it, the book wanderer realizes he has acquired a cheeky companion who redefines the word "impertinent". She injects energy into his daily life and turns all his habits upside down.

But then fate strikes. It begins with his dismissal from the bookshop, through which Carl loses the foundation of his existence in every sense. He is caught in a whirlwind, one blow after another. Schascha is the one who recognizes the crisis. With all her willpower, she mobilizes Carl's book-loving friends to save him. It is a race against time, for the abyss into which Carl is falling is deep. But their allies are books and imagination. Nothing can stand against that.

With his "Book Wanderer", author Carsten Henn has created a work that has been equally celebrated by critics and beloved by audiences. A "feel-good novel" (Elke Heidenreich) and "a wonderful, protective embrace" (Deutschlandfunk Kultur) are just some of the glowing descriptions of the book.

In autumn 2024, the film adaptation, starring Christoph Maria Herbst and Maren Kroymann, came to cinemas. With 600,000 viewers, the film became one of the year's most successful films.