November is German Literature Month. Caroline of Beauty is a Sleeping Cat and Lizzy of Lizzy's Literary Life will host.
My reading list will include the novel Visitation by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated by Susan Bernofsky, and The Silent Angel by Heinrich Böll, translated by Breon Mitchell. Böll's posthumously published novel is also part of Caroline's "Literature and War Readalong 2011", slated for 26 November.
If there's still time, I might be able to squeeze in Anna Funder's Stasiland: Stories From Behind the Berlin Wall. The book was winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-fiction. I've already read a couple of chapters. Already, the beginning is quite compelling.
Giveaways abound in this reading challenge. In fact, I already won something wunderbar from last week. The prize: All the Lights by Clemens Meyer. I can't wait to receive that one.
German literature is something I really want to explore more of. Two of my all-time favorite writers wrote in this language – W. G. Sebald and Thomas Bernhard. Since I started blogging in 2009, I've reviewed a handful of translations from German. Here are the review links for reference.
Perfume by Patrick Süskind
Wittgenstein's Nephew and Yes by Thomas Bernhard
The Rings of Saturn by W. G. Sebald
Chapter I; Chapter II; Chapter III; Chapter IV
Chapter V-VIII; Chapter IX; Chapter X
On the Natural History of Destruction by W. G. Sebald
Air War and Literature, 1; Air War and Literature, 2
Against the Irreversible; The Remorse of the Heart
The Stalin Front by Gert Ledig
Journey Into the Past and Chess by Stefan Zweig
Austerlitz by W. G. Sebald
Still haven't figured out what I'm reading for this, Rise, but you look like you have several good choices at least. As for me, I'm leaning toward either Bernhard, Musil, or Benno von Archimboldi at the moment. :D
ReplyDeleteI have had Archimboldi's novella Bitzius and collection The Berlin Underworld on my wishlist for some time now. No luck though. :p
ReplyDeleteGreat choices and thanks for mentioning the event.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to re-read Böll.
I'll add the link right away to my page.
Thanks.
Today's giveaway is special because I chose the books. I could imagine there is at least one you would like.
Still working out if I've the time for this, although it does appeal & I've recently finished Hans Fallada's A treaty on the joys of Morphinism & I've Zeig's Chess & beware of pity, I've also found an E-book by Zweig on verlaine, which I need to check out.
ReplyDeleteCaroline, you're welcome. It's a great reading event. And the giveaway prizes are really appealing.
ReplyDeleteGary, this kind of challenges are hard to resist, no? I suppose you're already "in" when you finished the Fallada.
great list of books Rise ,I ve some read hope to have reviews done in time ,all the best stu
ReplyDeleteI also made a list (and checked it twice) - the reality will bear no resemblance to my intentions, but I suppose that this is half the fun :)
ReplyDeleteStu, welcome back! It's almost November!
ReplyDeleteTony, so true. But fun nonetheless. :p