Denis Scheck
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}{{Infobox person
| name = Denis Scheck
| image = Denis Scheck 2010 4620.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Denis Scheck, 2010
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|12|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Stuttgart, West Germany
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = German
| other_names =
| occupation = Journalist, Literary critic, Television presenter
| known_for = Presenting the television show Druckfrisch
| signature = Signatur_Denis_Scheck.jpg
}}
Denis Scheck (born 15 December 1964) is a German literary critic, journalist, television presenter and former translator.
Biography
Born in Stuttgart, he studied German studies, contemporary history and political science at the universities of Tübingen, Düsseldorf and Dallas, and earned a master's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas. He was a visiting professor at the University of Göttingen in 2004.{{cite web |url=https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/3240.html?cid=1266 |title=Press Release: Denis Scheck takes over Guest Professorship for literature criticism in Göttingen |language = de|date= 23 January 2004|website= uni-goettingen.de|publisher= |accessdate=4 July 2014}}
Scheck has been a literary agent, translator of American and British authors, publisher and independent critic. In 1997, he was appointed literary editor at Deutschlandfunk. He has presented the ARD programme Druckfrisch since February 2003.
Scheck lives with his wife in Cologne.
Controversy
Scheck criticized the decision by German publisher Thienemann to change racist and racially insensitive terms in newer editions of children's books by Otfried Preußler and Astrid Lindgren.{{Cite news|title = Redacting Racism: Edit of Classic Children's Book Hexes Publisher|url = https://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/publisher-criticized-for-removing-racist-terms-from-children-s-book-a-878000.html|newspaper = Spiegel Online|date = 16 January 2013|access-date = 6 December 2015|first = Charly|last = Wilder}} In response, and as an act of protest, in January 2013, he appeared on TV in blackface.{{Cite magazine|title = A Fight in Germany Over Racist Language|url = https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/a-fight-in-germany-over-racist-language|magazine = The New Yorker|accessdate = 6 December 2015}} Scheck, who describes himself as a critic of political correctness and censorship in the literary world, does, however, condemn the use of racist terms in contemporary and everyday language.{{Cite news|title = Denis Scheck: Gegen Political Correctness in Literatur|url = https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/denis-scheck-gegen-political-correctness-in-literatur.265.de.html?drn:news_id=1092140|newspaper = Deutschlandfunk Kultur|language = de|date = 18 January 2020|access-date = 5 February 2021|archive-date = 24 October 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201024212559/https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/denis-scheck-gegen-political-correctness-in-literatur.265.de.html?drn:news_id=1092140|url-status = dead}}
Scheck has been criticised several times for his harsh treatment of books, which he considers inferior. In the ‘Anti-Kanon’ section of his show Lesenswert, he presents what he considers to be the worst works in the history of literature. At the end of the review, the book is destroyed by an animated explosion. Critics drew comparisons with the burning of books, whereupon the animation was changed.{{Cite news|title = Denis Schecks „Anti-Kanon“: Die Entwürdigung der Literaturkritik |author=Thomas Fitzel |url = https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/denis-schecks-anti-kanon-die-entwuerdigung-der-100.html |newspaper = Deutschlandfunk Kultur|language = de|date = 16 July 2021|access-date = 3 November 2024}}{{Cite news|title = Denis Schecks "Anti-Kanon": Sie haben uns tatsächlich zugetraut, Bücher zu verbrennen |author=Jens Roger |url = https://www.lesering.de/id/4903620/Denis-Schecks-Antin-Kanon-Sie-haben-uns-tatsachlich-zugetraut-Bucher-zu-verbrennen/ |newspaper = Lesering |language = de |date = 19 October 2021 |access-date = 3 November 2024}} His handling of books was also criticised by the German literary critic Elke Heidenreich, with whom he had already clashed several times, including through mutual insults.{{Cite news|title = Elke Heidenreich im Interview: „Wenn wir nicht mehr reisen, werden wir noch dümmer“ |author=Kristian Teetz |url = https://www.rnd.de/kultur/elke-heidenreich-ueber-das-gendern-ich-muss-nicht-als-maedel-extra-ausgewiesen-werden-SGJGSNSZWZAMBMBR6OZ6BTBO7I.html |newspaper = Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland |language = de |date = 26 February 2023 |access-date = 3 November 2024}}
Publications
- 1993: King Kong, Spock & Drella – ein Lexikon amerikanischer Trivialmythen
- 1994: Hell's Kitchen – Streifzüge durch die zeitgenössische US-Literatur
- 2011: Sie & Er, der kleine Unterschied beim Essen und Trinken
- 2014: Kurt Vonnegut
- 2019: Schecks Kanon: Die 100 wichtigsten Werke der Weltliteratur
- 2022: Hungrig auf Berlin
- 2022: Schecks kulinarischer Kompass
- 2023: Der undogmatische Hund
- 2024: Schecks Bestsellerbibel: Schätze und Schund aus 20 Jahren
Television
- Druckfrisch (since 2003)
- Lesenswert Quartett (2014–2025)
- Lesenswert (2016–2025)
- Kunscht! (2016–2018)
Honours
- Kritikerpreis des Deutschen Anglistentages, 2000
- Übersetzerbarke des Deutschen Literaturübersetzerverbandes, 2007
- Hanns-Joachim-Friedrichs-Award, 2012
- Bavarian TV Awards, 2013
- Hildegard von Bingen Prize for Journalism, 2014
- Julius-Campe-Preis, 2015
References
External links
- {{DNB portal|121214516|TYP=}}
{{commons category|Denis Scheck}}
- [https://www.daserste.de/druckfrisch/ Moderation des ARD-Büchermagazins Druckfrisch]
{{Authority control}}
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Category:German literary critics