Karl-Markus Gauss:

“Life is actually wonderful”

On Friday evening, Karl-Markus Gauss presented his new book "Ship of Stone"(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

The Literaturhaus was well filled on Friday evening. And so was Karl-Markus Gauss' new book - with short stories that highlight the beautiful moments in life.

"If some people are expecting a critical book, I'm afraid I have to disappoint them at this point," says Salzburg author Karl-Markus Gauss ahead of his reading at the Literaturhaus. On Friday evening, he read excerpts from his latest work "Schiff aus Stein". This time, Gauss deliberately wants to focus on successful moments in life in the 50 or so short stories contained in the book.

The Literaturhaus was sold out on Friday evening(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

"I think that has a bit to do with my first heart attack in October 2021 and the operation afterwards," admits the 69-year-old author. The medical emergency changed his view of the world: "From the room in the intensive care unit, I could look at the Mönchsberg from the same perspective as from the area where I grew up. When I saw it, I thought to myself: life is actually wonderful. Maybe I should say that more often."

Author Karl-Markus Gauß with his son Benjamin and his wife Maresi(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

Karl-Markus Gauss does just that in around 300 pages. The audience in the sold-out Literaturhaus listened with rapt attention. Among them was Karl-Markus Gauss' family: wife Maresi and son Benjamin - who recently made the author a grandfather for the first time.

Zsolnay Verlag boss Herbert Ohrlinger also has reason to celebrate: Zsolnay Verlag will be celebrating its centenary in 2024.