I Promise I will review a book next but as ever time has runaway this evening so , I decide to show you the nine books I just ordered that had come to the library today , I’ve a few more in the pipeline . First off this is one of two I really got excited about when I ordered it from the library ,The eggplant republic is a book by the writer that has been compared to Joyce amongst others Arno Schimdt is best known for his epic novel Zettels Traum (which is huge and is currently being translated into English and is due out on Dalkey Archive a some point in the next couple of years) .This book is about a journalist visiting a jet power island .I can’t wait this is one of the names I want on this blog .
What remains is a collection of stories by the late East german writer Christa Wolf , the title story is described as a East German writers journey into a Kafkaesque world .
Gone to Ground by Marie Jaolwicz Simon a true story ,She disappeeared into Berlin in 1941 removing her yellow star and becoming someone else for the rest of the war .I was reminded of a film I saw years ago were a Jewish boy joined the Hitler youth in Berlin during the war Europa , Europa I think it was called .
I had tried a previous Juli Zeh book , but didn’t get into it so left it , but this love triangle story of a couple that are learning to dive whilst on holiday and the wife falling for the diving instructor .
Sebald talks about the six writers the influenced him as a writer in this book , I read all his novels as they came out and not read a book by him for a few years,so this will be one I will savour I think.I may also find a new writer to try from his six writers .
Another novel by Peter Stamm , I reviewed seven years a couple of years ago ,I like his sparse style but only just got round to him again .A women who became a widow in a car crash and has horrific injuries trying to get her life back together.
The story of Blum whose husband is killed by the men he is investigating , this sends her on a killing spree as her dark past is unlocked . A crime novel for German lit month .
One of two none German books for after German lit month Watermark is Nobel winner Joseph Brodsky prose piece about his visit to Venice .built around 48 short chapters .
Another of the Noveau Roman writers Claude Simon conducting bodies another experimental novel .
So one of my two surprise finds from the library the other is even better than Arno Schimdt .
Oct 02, 2015 @ 20:26:55
Some great choices there. I’ve also got All Days are Night on my pile. Have yet to read Arno Schmidt – will await your review with interest.
Oct 02, 2015 @ 20:39:57
I’m looking.forward to it especially as the huge zettel book is one I would live to try when it comes to English
Oct 02, 2015 @ 22:51:51
I, too, saw Europa years ago. It won a number of awards as I recall. A first rate film, in my opinion.
Stu, I want to read every title you mentioned in this post. In fact, I’m pretty sure I have Gone to Ground on my Kindle in “the way back.” I’m going to read Wolf’s Patterns of Childhood, which is 446 pages. Because of that length, I think I’ll also read the Remarque novel with Caroline, and call it a month. But, if I zip through the Wolf, I’d like to try one of the books you’ve mentioned here. Enjoyed the list!
Judith (Reader in the Wilderness)
Oct 02, 2015 @ 23:21:23
Another good pile, here – not sure you’ll find time for all of them, though😉
One thing – ‘What Remains’ is actually a short, semi-fictional work about Stasi times (and was fairly controversial when it came out…).
Oct 03, 2015 @ 07:19:54
I envy you your library, Stu.
Oct 03, 2015 @ 11:53:28
I am particularly looking forward to the Arno Schmidt review. Interesting that the title is translated as Egghead Republic – it should be Republic of Scientists (or Learned Men, Men of Knowledge); the original title is a reference to Klopstock. Egghead has an anti-intellectual connotation – Gelehrter not. Anyway, it will be fun for you I hope.