Category Archives: Books
Learning German with Hamlet
I am always impressed when someone manages to learn German. It’s not the easiest of languages – though not the hardest, either – and every 50 kilometers or so, it is pronounced in a completely different way. Even I, as … Continue reading
“Slow Trains to Venice” by Tom Chesshyre
Whether I cross the Canadian prairie with old-order Mennonites, steam to Stockholm in a frenzy of unconnected connections, or whether I am dreaming of “the big one”, train journeys are quite popular on my blog, it seems. Apparently, publishers are … Continue reading
“The Hundred-Year-Old Man who Climbed out of the Window and Disappeared” by Jonas Jonasson
Zur deutschen Fassung. In those public bookshelves, 96.5% of the books deposited are rubbish. That’s only natural, because people keep the really good books or give them to friends. There are exceptions, but they are rare. A few days ago, … Continue reading
Film Review: “Nomadland”
Zur deutschen Fassung. In the land of the free, the middle class is free to descend into poverty and homelessness rather quickly. One bad divorce, a factory closing, medical bills, and poof, you are as free as you never wanted … Continue reading
“Sovietistan” and “The Border” by Erika Fatland
Hier gibt es diese Rezension auf Deutsch. Do you also have so many travel guides at home for countries you never made it to? I still got a Lonely Planet guidebook for Central Asia, which I bought in 2007. Apparently, … Continue reading
History Lessons in Bolivia
In a remote jungle school in Bolivia, I am surprised by what the children learn about Germany. Continue reading
Finding myself in Maugham
One and a half winters ago, on a cold day in Calgary, I found a treasure trove of books by the side of the road. I walked home, through ice and snow and wind, with three little gems by William … Continue reading
The Girl with the Book
Lisbon, in the garden of Palácio Fronteira, on a late afternoon. Under a canopy of wisteria, there is a girl reading a book. It is both a beautiful and a soothing sight. How nice that people find leisure to escape … Continue reading
“East West Street” by Philippe Sands
As a lawyer and budding historian, I found Philippe Sands‘ idea of telling the story of international criminal law through the biographies of Hersch Lauterpacht and Raphael Lemkin interesting. But the book East West Street is overloaded with the irrelevant … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 