Category: .Books & Art.

Hello and Happy Tuesday! 

March 26th, 2016 ins Indiebookday! Yay! I heard about it at the Leipzig Book Fair and think the concept is great, especially because I do love independent bookstores more than anything else. My favorite of course is Riemann in Coburg. Actually, I just attended an inspiring event this evening at the bookstore. The Riemann Team introduced and spoke briefly about their favorite books, those that they just read and think were worth sharing. I will share the list below. 

But first I want to talk a bit about the Indiebookday. What is Indiebookday?

On Indiebookday you basically show your love, support and appreciation for the independent bookstore and even more for independent publishers for one entire day. This Saturday, March 26th, 2016 all you have to do is go to your favorite independent bookstore and buy a book that is ideally published by an independent publisher. To make this a bit more fun, you take a picture of the book, or yourself and the book (whatever you like) and share it on a social network. (We are all connected anyway, right? Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and whatnot) or on your blog and use the hashtag #indiebookday. 

Indiebookday was first introduced in 2013 and had a somewhat widespread attention throughout Germany. Many countries joined in the following years. There are just so many wonderful independent publishers out there who create awesome books while putting a lot of love and passion into it. Unfortunately, many of them are not known as well as the big ones. I experienced this at the Leipzig Book Fair a lot. Most people simply just walk by these little stands of independent publishers. I believe that Indiebookday can help and built or generate some attention to the little publishers. 

What do you think? Are you taking up the challenge? Easter is around the corner and maybe you need a little book-gift? Just go to your local independent bookstore this Saturday. Simple as that. Independently published would be preferred. To hone your appetite I will share the book list the Riemann Team recommended this evening. Enjoy! 

Order or read about the book here. 

Order or read about the book here. 

Order or read about the book here. 

Order your copy here. This one I actually purchased!! [Can I ever leave this bookstore without buying a book?] 

Order your copy here. This one sounds really awesome too I think! 

Order or read about the book  here. 

Order your copy here. 

Order your copy here. 

Order your copy here. 

Order your copy here. This book is also available as audiobook. And, did you know that J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter) wrote this book? Pretty awesome I think. 

Order your copy here. 

Order your copy here. This one sounds amazing too. 

Order or read about the book here. 

Order or read about the book here. 

Order or read about this book here. There is actually a lot of hype about Owen Sheers these days. It seemed everybody talked about him and his book at the Leipzig Book Fair. It will definitely find its way on my bookshelf eventually. 

Order or read about this book here. 

Update: Here is a list of independent publishers to look out for: Alcorde Verlag, Arco Verlag, austernbank verlag, Verlag Antje Kunstmann, Wagenbach, Nautilus, be.bra verlag, cass verlag, Demmler Verlag, Dresdner Buchverlag, Edition fünf, Elfenbein Verlag, Gmeiner Verlag, Emons Verlag, Haymon Verlag, Limbus Verlag und Limmat Verlag, Lukas Verlag, MERLIN Verlag, Milena Verlag, Pendragon, Rimbaud, Schöffling & Co., Transit Buchverlag, Verbrecher Verlag, Wallstein Verlag and many more. 

I would love to hear from you. What books can you recommend? 

Hello and Happy Monday! 

Reading, reading, reading. My passion and I are always searching for some new literature. A couple of friends recommended the pseudonymous Italian author Elena Ferrante whose true identity is not known. One friend mentioned also that if I would ever read “My Brilliant Friend”, it would change my life forever. Pretty big claim, don’t you think? And in the meantime, nobody even knows who Elena Ferrante is. But does this matter? Recently, people try to desperately find out who the author is. Without any luck so far. 

Rachel Donadia who wrote for The New York Times wrote that “Figuring out the identity of Ms. Ferrante, who has never been identified, has become one of the literary world’s favorite guessing games, and on Sunday Italy’s leading daily, Corriere della Sera, delivered its latest twist: Ms. Ferrante might be a professor in Naples named Marcella Marmo. Ms. Ferrante’s publisher, Edizioni E/O in Rome, swiftly denied the report, as it has every other stab at unmasking Ms. Ferrante over the years. “It’s nonsense,” said Sandra Ozzola Ferri, half of the husband-and-wife team that runs the publishing house. Ms. Marmo, a professor of contemporary history at Federico II University of Naples, also denied the assertion. “I’m not Elena Ferrante,” she said, in a telephone interview on Sunday.

I have never even heard of Ferrante before and I do consider myself a big reader. Guess what? I bought “My Brilliant Friend” for the Kindle and was blown away. I just could not put it down. I was sucked into this brilliant story of friendship, Italy, poverty, fear and love. I ordered the second book of the tetralogy and will start it tonight. [The fourth book “The Story of the Lost Child” not pictures above] I mean, honesty, this book was so good that I barely touched and thought about my favorite apps Luminosity, Instagram and Pinterest. It is so great to discover new authors who write well and get me hooked like this. With this plethora of books out there, this is actually pretty difficult. Doesn’t it seem that everybody writes a book these days? Okay, I include myself here while blushing slightly. 

Have you read any of her books? What else are you reading these days? 

 

Are you hooked? Get your copy here and read The New York Times article here.  Enjoy!

This article is originally written in German. Please click on the translation-option on my blog. (Danke, Mama! <3)

“Wir Polizisten haben rechtlich keinerlei Handhabe gegen solch ein Verhalten. Und das wissen diese Jungs nur zu gut. Sie wissen ganz genau, wie weit sie gehen können, ohne dafür belangt zu werden. Nicht nur, dass der Staat missachtet wird. Auf Dauer leiden vor allem die Beamten und deren Psyche unter diesen permanenten Erniedrigungen, mögen sie im Einzelfall auch noch so harmlos erscheinen. Man braucht da schon ein dickes Fell. Traue keiner Statistik, die du nicht selbst gefälscht hast.”

Wann ist der Punkt erreicht, an welchem es einfach nicht mehr weiter geht? Wann ist das Mass voll? Tania Kambouri ist eine mutige Frau, sie kennt den Alltag einer Polizistin; aber auch bei ihr war irgendwann der Punkt gekommen, an dem sie so nicht mehr weiter machen wollte. Die 32-jährige Streifenpolizistin hatte mal wieder einen Einsatz, bei dem ihr klar wurde, dass die Werte, die ihr wichtig sind -Achtung, Menschlichkeit, Respekt – keine Bedeutung mehr haben.  Beleidigungen und Beschimpfungen, Spucken und Widerstand sind Alltag und “Mutproben”. 

Mal wieder wurde sie als ‘Bullenschlampe’ bezeichnet-  diesmal von einem türkischstämmigen Mann, der die Polizei um Hilfe gebeten hatte. Empört war er zunächst mal über die Tatsache, dass man eine “Frau” geschickt hatte.  “Richtige ” Polizisten sind männlich. Frau Kambouri ist griechischer Abstammung und als Polizistin oftmals den Angriffen auf der Strasse ausgesetzt. Sie will sich dies nicht länger gefallen lassen und setzt sich zur Wehr. Sie nimmt kein Blatt vor den Mund und sagt auch ihren Vorgesetzten – die durchaus politisch korrekt handeln – was sie fühlt und denkt. Die Autorin, die in Bochum Streife fährt, macht mit ihrem Buch hauptsächlich aufmerksam auf  die Probleme der Polizei mit muslimischen Einwanderern und straffälligen Migranten. 

“Ich will den Finger in die Wunde legen, auch wenn mir bewusst ist, wie explosiv das Thema ist”.

Notruf einer Polizistin? Durchaus! Das Thema Einwanderung, Migranten und Asylanten ist momentan Gesprächsthema Nummer 1. Viele sind sich darüber im klaren, dass sich unsere Gesellschaft dramatisch verändert hat und in nächster Zukunft noch mehr verändern wird. “Verpiss dich, du Schlampe”, sind Beleidigungen, die Tania Kambouri fast täglich erlebt, zumeist in gebrochenem Deutsch. Kambouri macht deutlich, dass es Frauen in Uniform von vornherein schwerer haben als ihre männlichen Kollegen. Sie macht all dies an erschreckenden Beispielen in ihrem Buch deutlich. Frau Kambouri wurde in einem Monat bei Einsätzen gleich zweimal verletzt. Sie und auch ihre Kollegen sind Situationen manchmal hilflos ausgeliefert. In ihrem Buch wird nichts beschönigt und nichts verschleiert, sie erzählt einfach nur das, was sie wirklich erlebt. Und all dies ist erschreckend. Zumal ich selbst vor zwölf Jahren als Streifenpolizistin gearbeitet habe. Ich kann ihre Beschreibung gut nachvollziehen. Die Zeiten und Situationen sind nicht besser geworden- im Gegenteil. In Kambouri’s Buch erfahren Sie, wie der wahre Polizeialltag aussieht. Absolut lesenswert!

“Wir werden so schnell kein Paradies auf Erden schaffen, wahrscheinlich sogar nie. Aber wir sollten es trotzdem versuchen, jeden Tag, auch ween das etwas pathetisch klingt. […] Ein kleiner Schritt reicht vollkommen, ein grösserer schadet aber natürlich auch nicht. Vielleicht ist der erste der schwierigste. […] Ich verlange nicht mehr als Respekt vor meiner Person und die Achtung meiner Würde als Mensch. Denn dies ist tue mich der Boden, auf dem die vielbeschworene Toleranz, das Verständnis füreinander und die gegenseitige Akzeptanz erst wachsen können.” 

Tania Kambouri’s Buch “Deutschland im Blaulicht” bestellen? Klicken Sie hier. Ein interessanter Bericht und Interview mit Frau Kambouri bei Menschen bei Maischberger. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ahQtP0tMnE

Hello! 

“One small fact: You are going to die. Despite every effort no one lives forever. Sorry to be such a spoiler. My advice is, when the time comes don’t panic. It doesn’t seem to help.” 

I do love to watch movies. A movie night with my love, popcorn, a bottle of good wine is just awesome. Yesterday my husband told me about The Book Thief and I was convinced instantly. Books, thief and a movie that was filmed at the Babelsberg Studios were we have just been is definitely a thumbs up! I have seen many movies about Word War II but none of them kept me glued to the TV like this one. 

The first couple of sentences you will hear are by the narrator who is Death himself and spoken by Roger Allam. I think he has just a perfect story-teller voice who is able to captivate the listener instantly. Death talks and looks down from above the clouds to the protagonists. The main actor is young Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nélisse) who sits with her mother and her younger brother in a train. Her brother passes away on this train and Liesel is given to poor foster parents with a new very strict, bad-tempered “mother” Rosa Hubermann (Emily Watson) and a loving good-hearted “father” Hans Hubermann (Geoffrey Rush). Hans calls her “your majesty”. Liesel has just a couple of possessions left and one is a book that she took from her brother’s funeral and just keeps close with her every time she falls asleep at night. What happened to her mother? 

There is just a lot of violence around her, especially when she starts school and the teacher and students find out that she cannot read and call her a “Dummkopf” (dunce). Her new father Hans takes care of her and asks her one night while saying goodnight what this book she keeps so dearly is all about. She tells him that she does not know because she cannot read. Together (Hans also has trouble reading) they start reading her book together writing all the words they do not know in alphabetical order on the wall in the basement. From now on, Liesel reads whatever she can get her hands on. 

Liesel’s acting is fantastic. From being cute to tough she opens up to Hans more and more. She calls him Papa. On the other hand, her stepmother is mean, curses a lot but throughout the movie it shows that there is a lot of emotional depth to her. Liesel and her neighbor and best friend Rudy Steiner (Nico Liersch) spend a lot of time together and both have to join the Hitler Youth Movement. Everybody in the village has to attend a Nazi Book Burning ceremony and must throw books into the bonfire. When the bonfire ended Liesel takes one book that has not been burned out of the ashes. The mayor’s wife observes this. Things take a twist now, especially after the foster parents take in the Jewish refugee Max because of a favor Hans owes to a soldier comrade who saved his life. 

As many movies on World War II, this one has a plethora of dark material of the Holocaust, the Night of the Broken Glass and more historic context and is very well documented. I highly recommend this movie. It is a must-see for anybody who wants to learn and see historic and human drama of the German Nazi era and to remember who the first victims were. 

Order The Book Thief in paperback here or click here for the German version. The movie can be found to rent or purchase here. Enjoy! 

Have you watched The Book Thief? What is/are your favorite movie(s) that you can recommend? I would love to hear from you. 

Thank you for reading my blog. 

To read this article in the original language – German, please click on the translation option! 

“Sorgen Sie sich nicht um andere, auch nicht um Ihren etwaigen Partner an Ihrer Seite. Es geht in diesem Augenblick nur um Sie. Seien Sie gut zu sich, nicht nur einen Moment lang. machen Sie sich bewusst, dass Sie sich selbst anvertraut sind. Sie sind bei sich wirklich in den besten Händen. Wenn Sie richtig im Einklang mit sich sind, wenn Sie gut zu sich sind, dann wenden Sie sich in dieser Stimmung dem Partner zu.” 

Hallo! 

Dieses Buch ist zur Zeit nur auf Deutsch erhältlich und deshalb schreibe ich meine Rezension heute in deutscher Sprache. Ich kaufte Katrin Zita’s ‘Die Kunst, allein zu reisen und bei sich selbst ankommen’ letzte Woche Freitag bei All-You-Can-Read at Riemann Bookstore und las es fast an einem Tag. 

Über die Autorin

Katrin Zita inspiriert und hilft anderen bei ihrer Selbstverwirklichung. Sie lebt in Wien und Berlin, coached und zeigt Menschen einen neuen Weg zu einem erfüllten und glücklichen Leben. Die Kunst, allein zu reisen und bei sich selbst anzukommen ist ein Buch einer Trilogie der Autorin. Unter anderem erschienen auch Die Kunst, gemeinsam zu reisen und bei sich selbst zu bleiben und Die Kunst, eine glückliche Frau zu sein. Katrin Zita arbeitet zur Zeit an ihrem vierten Buch Digital Happiges. Interessant ist auch noch zu wissen das die Autorin zuvor über zehn Jahre als Ingenieurin in der Baubranche arbeitete, folgte aber dann ihrem Traum, dem Schreiben. 

Rezension mit persönlichem Touch

Ich liebe es zu reisen; allein oder mit meiner Familie. Es macht mich glücklich auch wenn viele sagen das mein Weg der Falsche ist oder das es verrückt ist so zu leben. Für mich ist es gut so wie es ist. Was mir das Reisen bedeutet können nur diejenigen verstehen, denen es genauso geht. Eben all die, die auch Neues entdecken wollen oder auf Abenteuersuche sind. Katrin Zita’s Buch gibt Denkanstöße wie einfach es doch sein kann,  seinen Koffer zu packen und in die Welt zu ziehen. Sich selbst finden ist ein toller Nebeneffekt des Reisens. Ich finde den Schreibstil der Autorin sehr ansprechend, sympathisch und ihre Lebenslust steckt geradezu an. Oft dachte ich schmunzelnd an meine eigenen Reisen zurück. Wenn Sie dieses Buch lesen werden Sie lernen wie toll und unterhaltsam es sein kann alleine in einem Restaurant zu essen. Zita’s Motto ist einfach mal raus aus der eigenen Komfortzone und Neues sehen und lernen. Kein Angst zu haben und all die negativen aber doch eher überwiegend positiven Facetten des Reisens zu erkennen und erleben. 

Toll fand ich auch die vielen Checklisten am Ende eines Kapitels. Ich notierte mir viele Anekdoten in mein Notizbuch das ich auch immer in der Handtasche bei mir führe und hin und wieder mal darin lese. Selbstfindung kann manchmal einfach sein. Sie können von einer Reise vieles mitbringen. Souvenirs wie Selbstsicherheit, Selbstliebe, neue Erfahrungen vieler Art, neue Freundschaften, neue Eindrücke, neue köstliche Gerichte und Entscheidungskraft. 

Die Autorin schneidet ausserdem viele andere Themen an, die mich sehr ansprachen. Zum Beispiel das sie sehr leicht reist und was sie alles mitnimmt. Less is more! Dies bezieht sie auch auf “Freundschaften” die wir pflegen und die uns nirgendwohin bringen. Hier ein Auszug aus dem Buch.

“Oder denken Sie an die Freundin, die das Leben als schwere Bürde ansieht. Sie absolviert jeden Tag mit Jammern und labt sich an Ihrer Lebensenergie. Umgekehrt hat sie Ihnen schon jahrelang nicht mehr richtig zugehört oder sich ehrlich mit Ihnen über Ihren Erfolg gefreut. Am Ende des Tages stellen Sie fest: Diese Freundin ist zu einer wahren Energieräuberin geworden.”

Die Autorin finden das man sich von Energieräubern lieber trennen sollte wenn es einem zu viel wird und man nur noch den Ballast von anderen trägt. Das Leben ist so kurz. Wenn man sich persönlich weiterentwickeln will ist das Reisen definitiv eine wunderbarere Art und Weise dies umzusetzen. 

Wem wird dieses Buch gefallen?

All die,  die sich durch Reisen selbst finden wollen und all diejenigen die Abenteuer lieben. Ob allein oder zu zweit, das Buch ist ein gelungener Ratgeber der stark macht und zum Nachdenken anregt. 

Das Buch können Sie hier bestellen. Katrin Zita’s sehr interessant gestaltete Webseite finden sie hier. Viel Spass beim Reisen und Lesen! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-egBznbeq0

Reisen Sie gerne und alleine? Fernweh? Wo geht’s als nächstes hin? Ich würde mich freuen von Ihnen zu hören. Schreiben Sie Ihren Kommentar zu diesem Artikel. 

Thank you for reading my blog. 

Hello! 

I would like to share a book review of a very special, lovely book that I stumbled upon at Sehes Haus while I did a Reiki Seminar. Between short breaks I read a couple of pages and  fell in love with it. I have neither heard of Preethi Nair before nor read any of her books. The Indian culture is also not too familiar to me. If eating at an awesome Indian Restaurant in New York twice counts, then I at least know a bit about their food. Let’s dive into the book, and thank you Martina for letting me take it home. 

About the author

Preethi Nair (1971) is of Indian heritage (Kerala, India) and moved to Britain when she was a child. She gave up her professional as a management consultant to follow her dream of becoming a writer. Her first novel, Gypsy Masala, was rejected several times but this did not stop her. She simply created her own publishing company and PR agency and published her book this way. “100 Shades of White” has been made into a television series in the UK. 

“My mother said that to lie is the coward’s way and that truth is whole, like black or white. But what if there are a hundred shades for truth?”

The language was very catching from the beginning and the story is told from two point of views – mother Nalini and daughter Maya. Nalini experiences a poor childhood in India and later fell in love with a man who she follows to England to start a new life. She leaves everything behind in India because she is truly happy and in love. Nalini does not speak English but she has no fear. She soon becomes pregnant with Maya and things changed pretty quickly from good to bad. Maya’s father works longer and longer hours and finally disappears. Both, mother and daughter find out that the truth is never black or white. Sometimes there are several shades to be taken into consideration. I loved the description of food and cooking and all the spices Nalini and her mother used. The contrast between an adults point of view and a child’s version is great and made me read on. 

While reading the book I learned why the author chose this particular title and that one should never judge anyone because you never know what this person is going through right now.  The mother/daughter relationship between Nalini and Maya is very well described and heartwarming. Also well laid out is Maya’s relationship to her brother and sister, her father and most importantly to herself. 

Overall, I thought that the characters are really well-developed and the story depicts the difference between their life in India and England clearly.  If you are into stories about love, forgiveness and discovering something new you will love to read 100 Shades of White. It also touches a bit on belief and that it is important to let go and discover something new.  This book is also a guide to peace, happiness, inspiration and wisdom. 

Visit Preethi Nair’s website or watch this short interview below. Get a copy of the book in English here or in German here. I really like the book cover for the German version! Enjoy! 

Have you read anything by Preethi Nair yet? I would love to hear from you. 

Thank you for reading my blog. 

Hello!

Since I read Margaret Atwood’s latest book, The Heart goes Last, I was hooked by her writing and was interested to explore more of her books. I am somewhat embarrassed that I have not heard of Atwood earlier. As a matter of fact, I have not read too much CanLit at all. (Jean, CanPar!). Also, I am not too much into short stories but when I heard that there will be a new short story collection by Margaret Atwood, I was intrigued. Stone Mattress is a book made up of nine tales that are all somewhat connected and some just stand alone. You will find a plethora of characters that all have their little stories and secrets. 

When I started the book I had mixed feelings because the book did not catch me initially. I give every book approximately 50 pages to convince me to read on. Sometimes a bit more but if it do not feel anything good it has to go. Sorry, next! I have to say that this collection of short stories is just the perfect blend of tragedy and absurdity and makes this book a great read. My favorite was Freeze-Dried Groom which reminded me a bit of Edgar Allen Poe. You can read it and creep out with delight. You will read about aging, genetic abnormalities, the troubles writers have, the perfect murder and that aging is a huge problem for some. All characters however seems to look back on their life – either with regret or wonder and try to fix whatever situation they are in now. I loved that. Trying to see the positive – trying to see the light. 

I give four starts meaning that I do recommend this book and I think it is very good. I have watched many interviews of Atwood on YouTube and I have to say that I do wonder indeed how she can come up with some stories. Don’t you have this thought sometimes? Wondering where all these ideas come from an author writes about? I do love how she connects and combines such an imagination with excellent stories. Atwood style of writing is funny, sharp, intelligent and she is one of Canada’s most prolific writers. Definitely read this book if you want to figure out what a “stone mattress” is and of course if you love Margret Atwood and CanLit. Purchase the book here. Enjoy! 

Have you ever read anything by Margret Atwood? Do you like her writing? I would love to hear your thoughts! Have a great great start of the new week. 

Thank you for reading my blog. 

Hello!

It is time for a new Book Review. I have read so much lately that books are piled up everywhere, waiting to be reviewed but I did not have time. When you read my recent post Five Things, you know that I was all over the place getting things done.

I am a huge crime novel fan. Especially, the ones by the Swedish author Henning Mankell.  Actually, not many other crime novels came close to his writing – until my mom discovered Tess Gerritsen and read her book Roter Engel in two days. And when my mom finishes a crime novel so quickly, I know it will be catching and worth the read. I literally read the book in two days as well – it was so good.

About the author: Terry (Tess) Gerritsen (1953) is a retired physician and an American novelist. That she worked many years als a MD is without a doubt great for this amazing medical story. She clearly has great knowledge on what she is writing about. Here is the book review. 

Dr Toby Harper’s life is somewhat in control and she wanted to keep it this way. She is overworked however. One night she admits an older gentlemen to Springer Hospital. He is delirious, completely naked and does not respond to any medical treatment. He then disappears without a trace under her care.  Dr Harper of course feels responsible for this and her search for the old man leads her to another gentlemen with similar symptoms. She finds out that these infections can only be spread through tissue exchange. There are many other twists to the story; people disappear, a pregnant prostitute and much more that is all connected somehow. I do not want to give away too much but I really did enjoy the fast paced style of writing that kept me turning the pages. The story is thrilling and captivating  with many intelligent dialogs and very well written. 

What frightened me a bit was that the plot seems very realistic and raised many moral and ethical questions for me. This novel: creepy but so good. I highly recommend it! 

Have you read the book yet? If yes, what did you think? Order the English version here and click here to purchase the book in German. This is her website. Enjoy and Happy Reading. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKs7AZ8GO_0

Thank you for reading my blog.