German author and journalist Thomas Pletzinger read to a sold-out crowd of more than 80 people on Monday February 1st. Pletzinger was invited to campus by Assistant Professor of German, Jan Uelzmann. In his 90-minute reading, Pletzinger read a short story, an excerpt from his award-winning novel Funeral for a Dog (W.W. Norton), and a journalistic piece on German basketball legend Dirk Nowitzki. Pletzinger, who is currently working on Nowitzki’s authorized biography, shared personal stories and insights about his love for literature, basketball, and his challenges and successes as a writer and journalist. The presentation generated lively interest and numerous questions from the students.