![\"mare\"](\"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1_mare_a.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOf course, the mare Verlag<\/a> comes first on this list. I have already presented many books from mare here on lesestunden<\/a>. Their classics have an extremely high production quality, the kind you rarely find. The selection is excellent, diverse, and always carries a sea breeze with it. But beyond the classics, the publisher has a lot to offer: nonfiction, illustrated books, and very current novels. For a rather small publishing house, the portfolio is pleasantly broad yet focused. There is also a magazine. If you love the sea, dream of vacations, want to discover something new, or simply want to drift along, this publisher offers a lot. I never miss a preview of their upcoming titles, and there is always something for me.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n I love the books by Gaito Gasdanow<\/a>. For a long time, only a few of his works were available in German translation. Until a few years ago, translator J\u00fcrgen Barck began translating the missing novels and stories into German. Since then, I haven\u2019t missed a single one of his books. What makes this so special is that there is no publisher behind him. He does everything himself\u2014from translation to typesetting, editing, publishing, and more\u2014and the result is on par with professional publishing houses. This is truly remarkable, and I am incredibly grateful, because otherwise these wonderful texts would not be accessible to German\u2011speaking readers. His cultural contribution cannot be praised highly enough. So definitely take a look at these wonderful translations, of which I have presented all of them on lesestunden<\/a>. It doesn\u2019t always have to be a publisher.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Mantikore-Verlag<\/a> is also very unique. It is the largest and only publisher for adventure gamebooks in the German\u2011speaking world. These are books that are not simply read but played. They are divided into sections, and at the end of each one, the reader decides how the story continues. These books were briefly very popular in the 80s but quickly disappeared again. I still find the idea fascinating and, although rarely, I always enjoy picking up such a book. It\u2019s simply amazing how versatile books can be and how creatively and imaginatively these gamebooks captivate readers. They are especially suitable for young readers, as they have a certain lightness and are very accessible thanks to the interactive format.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Hanser Verlag<\/a> is no insider tip and is one of the larger publishers. But for me, it holds a special place because it offers many classics in very high\u2011quality editions. This is my go\u2011to backlist for the truly great and worthwhile works. War and Peace, Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary, Moby-Dick, Great Expectations, Kim<\/em>\u2014the timeless works are all there, in new high\u2011quality translations. You simply can\u2019t go wrong, and I have read many of these classics; they will remain on my shelves forever. Besides the classics, Hanser also has a large portfolio of contemporary literature, though I rarely find something for myself there. For me, it is the triple\u2011A publisher for classics, and I check every preview for newly translated editions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n With the Manesse Bibliothek der Weltliteratur<\/a>, the Manesse Verlag is something like a foundation of literature in Germany for me. The series has existed for a very long time, and I have read and enjoyed many of the beautiful little volumes. They are handy yet very high\u2011quality. The older books impress with their linen covers, thread stitching, ribbon bookmarks, and compactness. The newer editions are visually more modern but unfortunately no longer have linen covers. Still, the selection is wonderful, offering major works as well as lesser\u2011known but highly readable classics. I regularly present beautiful books from Manesse here on lesestunden.de<\/a> and have never been disappointed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The B\u00fcchergilde<\/a> is a true traditional publisher and very old. Over the years, they have dedicated themselves to bibliophile editions and offer many splendid books. You can feel the love for books especially in the details. I love the author B. Traven<\/a> and have collected the old B\u00fcchergilde editions of his works, which are still beautiful after all these years. Many of their designs are not to my taste, which is subjective, but the quality is always excellent. And there are many books that are simply magnificent and beautiful\u2014ones I would never want to miss on my shelves. The business model is no longer contemporary: you must become a member to order books and commit to buying one book per quarter. At the same time, the B\u00fcchergilde is a piece of book culture, and supporting that is certainly not a bad thing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Nikol Verlag<\/a> is a low\u2011budget publisher known for its very good prices. It first caught my attention when I discovered their beautiful classics bound in linen with gold embossing. The books are very fairly priced, look lovely, and\u2014even if not newly translated\u2014are solid in content. You\u2019ll find many of the great classics. Naturally, at this price point, the quality cannot compete with the high\u2011end classics from mare or Hanser. But the selection is solid, looks great on the shelf, and has never disappointed me. The range has grown significantly, and besides classics, there are now many nonfiction titles as well. If you\u2019re on a tight budget but still want beautiful editions of world literature, this is the right place.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n I long knew the Coppenrath Verlag<\/a> only from those dreadful little corners in bookstores where children would get stuck wanting some overpriced Lillifee\u2011Captain\u2011Sharky\u2011China\u2011plastic junk. And you always had to say no and painstakingly lure them back to the book section. But in fact, the publisher has been offering beautiful books for years\u2014books that more than make up for that Spiegelburg\u2011parent hell. Coppenrath publishes numerous MinaLima\u2011designed editions, very stylish new editions of Sherlock Holmes, and a splendid edition of Rebecca<\/em>. The decorative editions of Poe are also gorgeous. What makes these books special are the small inserts tucked between the pages: envelopes with poems from the novel, little flyers, background notes\u2014these extras elevate the reading experience. These are magnificent books from an unexpected corner, and this segment has grown steadily over the years. I hope Coppenrath continues this path; I love these books, and the publisher has become a real insider tip for me.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Klett-Cotta Verlag<\/a> is my first stop for fantasy. While I used to read a lot of fantasy\u2014especially in my teenage years\u2014it has become much less in recent years. When I do read fantasy, I always turn to the major titles, most of which are published by Klett\u2011Cotta. Tad Williams has been my absolute favorite for many years. And of course, Tolkien\u2019s works are available there in beautiful editions. I also like the classic hardcover format the publisher uses; they have a certain charm. The newer paperback editions follow a current trend I don\u2019t like as much. They often have sprayed edges, which appeal to younger readers but are actually low\u2011quality embellishments when you don\u2019t even get a hardcover. Fortunately, this only affects reprints; first editions still come in classic hardcover, sometimes even with sprayed edges. In short: You can\u2019t go wrong with Klett\u2011Cotta\u2014this is where you\u2019ll find wonderful fantasy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nJ\u00fcrgen Barck<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMantikore-Verlag<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHanser<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nManesse Verlag<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nB\u00fcchergilde Gutenberg<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNikol Verlag<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nCoppenrath Verlag<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nKlett-Cotta Verlag<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBarnes & Noble<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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