A SEA OF WORDS - Love Letters to Language

  • From heated discussions to meaningful insights - this book is an invitation to pause and reflect on how we communicate.

Bettina Rust engages in deep conversation with prominent guests about the true meaning of language. Together, they explore how language shapes us, how it divides us, and how it connects us. These dialogues spark fascinating chains of thought and association - serving as a compelling invitation for readers to reflect on their own use of words. Language can be a weapon, an invitation, a seduction, or a rejection; it can be a life buoy or a balm for the soul.

Communication is in a state of permanent flux: while our active vocabulary is measurably shrinking, the impact of AI on our speech is only just beginning to unfold. With this book, Bettina Rust celebrates the sheer joy of playing with words. In conversation with guests across all generations - from social media star Tahsim Durgun to news icon Anne Will and acting legend Iris Berben - we discover their personal linguistic quirks, favorite words, and the terms they’ve always wanted to unlearn. They dive into abbreviations, Anglicisms, trigger words, and cherished memories. And, of course, dialects! Wörtersee is an inspiring, enchanting, and utterly delightful journey through the world of words.

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  • Publisher: Rowohlt Polaris
  • Release: 11.12.2026
  • ISBN: 978-3-499-02026-1
  • 256 Pages
  • Author: Bettina Rust

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Buchcover von A SEA OF WORDS - Love Letters to Language: Liebeserklärungen an die Sprache
Bettina RustA SEA OF WORDS - Love Letters to Language
Portrait von Bettina Rust
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Bettina Rust

Bettina Rust , born in 1967, has been the host of the talk format Hörbar Rust on Radio Eins since 2002, where she explores the biographies of celebrities through the songs that shaped their lives. In her popular podcast Toast Hawaii , she talks with prominent guests about the "food of their lives." As a television presenter, Bettina has hosted several of her own talk and documentary formats, including Talk der Woche , 0137 Night Talk , Playlist – Sound of My Life , and Stadt, Rad, Hund for various national broadcasters such as ARD, Sat.1, and Tele5. With her unique and distinctive voice, she is also a sought-after voice-over artist. Her book Berlin – Lieblingsorte  was published in 2018, followed by Das Essen meines Lebens in 2022. Bettina Rust lives in Berlin.