Category Archives: Books
Kyiv – Day 4/21 – Summer in Winter
“I would never go to Eastern Europe in winter.” “You are going to freeze your butt off.” “How stupid of you!” These were some of the comments I received when I announced my plan to spend the winter in Ukraine. … Continue reading
A Date at the Library
– Let’s meet at the library! – Which section? – If we have similar interests, we will meet. If not, we shouldn’t. As always, I went home alone. Well, not really alone, for I had found some interesting books. Links: … Continue reading
Easily Confused (66) Influencer
People who call themselves “influencers”, but don’t influence me at all: What really influences me, although none of their authors would use such a stupid self-descriptive term: Influenza: The last one can be pretty influential, actually. It definitely impresses me … Continue reading
“Couchsurfing in Iran” by Stephan Orth
Couchsurfing, staying with hitherto strangers for free, is a good way to get to know a country and its people. It’s even more rewarding in countries where you don’t speak the language and where you are sometimes a bit lost … Continue reading
William Somerset Maugham in a Box
I read a lot, but, with few exceptions, I feel no urge to maintain physical possession of books after having read them. Quite the contrary, I find them put to much better use if I pass them on as gifts, … Continue reading
“Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi
I had long been too snobbish to read graphic novels. Cartoons like Tintin or Calvin & Hobbes are great, but when it comes to serious subjects, I prefer prose. Also, I read a lot on trains or in restaurants and … Continue reading
A Walk around Tbilisi
Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Artikels. Each year for my birthday, I like to explore a new country, preferably alone. In July 2017, I treated myself to a trip to the Caucasus (and ended up celebrating my 42nd birthday with the … Continue reading
Brexit Poetry
Everybody knows the line “no man is an island”, but nobody knows that when John Donne wrote Devotions upon Emergent Occasions in 1624, he actually warned of Brexit. No man is an island, Entire of itself. Each is a piece … Continue reading
“The Great Railway Bazaar” by Paul Theroux
In 1973, Paul Theroux was a novelist and out of ideas when he came across my blog and got the inspiration for a trip around the world by train. From the UK, he set out to Istanbul, of course, and … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 