Reading German Books in 2020 discussion

I have five books to be read during the next quarter.

The Confessions of Felix Krull - Thomas Mann (Classic)
Song for The Missing - Pierre Jarawan (Contemporary)
The Bureau of Past Management - Iris Hanika (Contemporary)
Kalmann - Joachim B Schmidt (Crime) (English translation to be released 19.5)
Silver Pebbles - Hansjörg Schneider (Crime) (Marketed as the second in the series, but actually it is the first)

Do you fancy any of these for the group read, or would you like to suggest something other?

i'm in for Felix Krull, but also fine with Silver Pebbles or Kalmann.
Unfortunately I couldn't find adhoc the books by Jarawan and Hanika, my library only has other titles by them.

As for other suggestions, i intend to start Winterspelt by Alfred Andersch soon, would be happy to group or buddyread this

Of those you recommend, Song for the Missing is the most interesting to me.

Ones I already own that I've been meaning to get to, so I shall suggest, are:

Rückwärtswälzer by Vea Kaiser
Vom Ende der Einsamkeit by Benedict Wells
Nachtzug nach Lissabon by Pascal Mecier

I would like the Confessions of Felix Krull. Have an old yellowed much read copy I found in a second hand shop with the marvellous Ernst Ludwig Kirchnew painting on the cover.
I would also like a mystery and I thought Silver Pebbles sounded good.

I would love a buddy read Kubelot and 600 odd pages sounds really tempting. Unfortunately there is no English translation that I can find at this stage.

I have a suggestion for a longer buddy read.

The Austrian classic, Heimito von Doderer’s The Strudlhof Steps / Die Strudlhofstiege was published in English last December. At 800 pages it’s perfect for a paced buddy read. Say 100 pages per week during May and June.

I have very fond memories of reading The Eighth Life in the garden during a very benevolent spring a couple of years ago. No guarantees of such fair weather (in Scotland) again, of course, but I can always hope.

This would be in addition to the shorter group read(s). Anyone interested?

There’s enough interest in Felix Krull to read that in April.

In May, for a complete contrast, let’s read the crime novel, Silver Pebbles.

In June, a contemporary literary novel. We have a shortlist of 3. Erin’s third suggestion hasn’t been translated into English, as far as I can tell.

Song for the Missing - Pierre Jarawan
Night Train to Lisbon - Pascal Mercier
Goodbye to Loneliness - Benedict Wells (Actual title - I shouldn’t do these things by memory - The End of Loneliness)

Cast your votes, please.

Lizzy Siddal (Lizzy’s Literary Life) wrote: "I have a suggestion for a longer buddy read.

The Austrian classic, Heimito von Doderer’s The Strudlhof Steps / Die Strudlhofstiege was published in English last December. At 800 pages it’s perfect..."

Yes Please! May and June would work for me and the suggested number of pages a week sounds good too.
I too have good memories of reading the Eighth Life with the group and would enjoy doing such a thing again.
Thanks Lizzy

I'm really loving the direction where this thread is heading :)

How about switching quarterly group reads into monthly titles?

As for June, I'd preffer Mercier over Wells, but am fine with both. I won't be able to join Jarawan.

I'm also in for Doderer, I will be off a few days in may, but i guess 100 pages a week I will manage.

@Penny: you're right about Winterspelt, i only checked via GR and saw that there was an english doubleday translation in the late seventies, but it is currently hard to find. If you by any chance come across it in a library, let me know, with the upcoming reads, i probably won't start it prior autumn ;)

Night train to Lisbon would be my choice.
Goodbye to Loneliness was my favourite read in 2020. I could easily read it again.

kubelot wrote:

How about switching quarterly group reads into monthly titles?

Ah, you’ve cottoned on to my cunning plan!!! 🤫

kubelot wrote: "I'm really loving the direction where this thread is heading :)

How about switching quarterly group reads into monthly titles?

As for June, I'd preffer Mercier over Wells, but am fine with both. ..."
I think I have found an English translation (Pub. 1980) but its in Western Australia and I'm on the East Coast and they are determined I'm in the US and won't let me enter details! I can contact the seller so will do so tomorrow. Hope this works out.
I'm certainly keen to read this book.

I'm also happy with some overlapping reading kind of like the first quarterly read (I read Entdeckung der Langsamkeit- still need to update my reading notes...)

I want to get to Krull at some point but have just finished Der Tod in Venedig, and have the new Mann biography The Magician on hold at the library, so that will be enough Mann for me for now... ;)

I like the idea of the longer buddy read. I've got Strudlhofstiege and Ein Lied für die Vermissten in my Amazon cart... Miiight be up for Silver Pebbles but have been meaning to get through the two crime series I've started before starting a new one. Would also love to get to some of those titles that I mentioned that lying about the house staring at me from their shelves... :D

Erin wrote: "I'm also happy with some overlapping reading kind of like the first quarterly read (I read Entdeckung der Langsamkeit- still need to update my reading notes...)

I want to get to Krull at some poin..."

I decided to read Felix Krull upon finishing The Magician. It’s the perfect follow-on, I feel.

Lizzy Siddal (Lizzy’s Literary Life) wrote: I decided to read Felix Krull upon finishing The Magician. It’s the perfect follow-on, I feel.

Thanks, Lizzy, that's good to know! I read Tod in Venedig specifically in preparation for The Magician, as I'd heard it might be relevant to some of what happens in that book. Krull does sound like a good finisher (even if I don't get to it right away... )

I found Nighttrain to Lisbon in nu native language a pretty tough read. let alone in german! I am really curious about Vom Ende der Einsamkeit

Looks like we’re taking a Night Train to Lisbon in June.

I’ll set up the threads for the monthly reads, and I’ll sort out a reading schedule for The Strudlhof Steps at the beginning of May.

Happy Reading everyone!