books
I love books.
I was so glad when I finally learned to read and therefore could go on adventures on my own instead of having to wait for my dad to come back from work and decode that jumble of strange letters for me.
My foray into the realms of literacy didn't stop him from reading to me though. I didn't want him to stop either. He could do all the different voices, you see?
I love books. The beautifully designed TASCHEN coffee table books, gorgeous special edition hardbacks, paperbacks, old books, new books and most of all: used books. There's really something special about reading a book which has been read and hopefully cherished before.
I love books.
Back in the days I spend almost every Saturday at a book store to look at the new arrivals.
Actually, my fondest memory is of purchasing Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho. I had to specifically ask for the book and then show my ID to prove that I was indeed over 18 years old. Of course, this is a quirky anecdode only in hindsight; at that time it felt rather embarrassing.
Did you ever make use of those hotel libraries where guests discard their holiday readings? That's how I got introduced to Stephen King and the whole genre of airport literature
.
Did you enjoy reading for school? I did. I still have a weak spot for those little yellow Reclam books and their simple but yet aesthetically pleasing design.
There's only one book I had to read for my German class that I absolutely loathed. Das Parfüm by Patrick Süskind.
Nowadays I mostly read e-books though. This may come as a surprise, but really... it's just more practical that way. And cheaper.
And now - take a look at my bookshelf! Presented to you in the style of the Reclam Universal-Bibliothek and its colour code 🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑.
Drei Kameraden
Three Comrades » 1936
A little fun fact before we start: the novel was first published in 1936 but not in Germany. The first real German publication is from 1951.
I love every single one of Remarque's books. As perhaps some of you, I had to read All Quiet on the Western Front at school and it impacted me deeply and I wouldn't stop talking about it at home. Eventually my dad suggested I'd read some of other Remarque's works and I started with my dad's favourite, Arc de Triomphe. From there on I made my way through all the books that were available to me back then. Years later, Three Comrades was re-published and I picked it up out of sentimentality. It's funny how you sometimes forget just how magnificent some things are. It's like that with Remarque's writing. It's a prime example how beautiful the German language is and how capable words can be to sucker punch you. The book is a real tragedy and and it's sort of horrible but it's also a great tale about friendship, a struggle to not lose hope in truly hopeless times and love. I feel not many men are skilled or even terribly motivated to write female characters but Remarque's women I always liked because they were real protagonists in the stories. And, on a lighter note, Remarque sort of invented the Tuberculosis aesthetic, the - I guess problematic trope of young women being beautiful even when on the death bed - truly, it's in a lot of his books. Maybe I have a soft spot for this because I actually read Three Comrades when I was nursing a respiratory infection and used to lie on my balcony in the sun with a blanket wrapped around me - you know, like heliotherapy in a sanatorium.
Ἐγχειρίδιον
The Enchiridion » 2nd AD
Actually, the book was compiled and published by Ἐπίκτητος' pupil Ἀρριανός - maybe this tidbit will win you the million-dollar question one day? If so, leave a message in my guestbook. Anyway, once I was given the opportunity at school to drop out of religious studies and choose philosophy instead, I did that immediately. One of the first philosophers I learned about was Marcus Aurelius of τα εἰς ἑαυτόν fame. Everything he said made sense to me, and I just admired his chill attitude, better known as Stoicism. Well, Marcus Aurelius was a great fan of Ἐπίκτητος, and naturally, his writings were heavily inspired by him. So of course I had to read Ἐγχειρίδιον next. Honestly, I wish more people would follow those very basic, everyday principles that are laid down in this book. Ἐπίκτητος is sort of a square though when it comes to sex and debauchery but I can see where he's coming from and accept it. See? I've already learned my stoic lesson. This copy again is a Reclam bilingual edition. This time Greek & German. Well, I can read a bit of Greek but I can neither understand nor speak it. So I only read the pages on the right.
De Oratore
On the Orator » 55 BC
I told you I was into vintage stuff, didn't I? But seriously, if you want to master the art of giving a speech or just generally want to learn how to outsmart people in arguments in style, you should read that book. Although this piece of writing is literally ancient, the advice given is still valid today. Especially in this day and age, where everyone's favourite pastime is challenging strangers to arguments on the internet, maybe we should all learn how to properly and efficiently engage in a contest of eloquence. Did I mention that Cicero is also funny? He really is. My copy of De Oratore is the Reclam bilingual edition - Latin & German - but mostly I went straight to the translation. My Latin is a bit too rusty for such a mastermind as Cicero was.
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary » 1945
Webster is dead, long live the Hepster
! The editors of this dictionary felt that Jive Talk was here to stay but sadly they were mistaken - obviously they weren't Abercrombies after all. I'd very much like to introduce myself as a corn fed fag hag with a desk piano, guzzling the moo juice. Oh well...but you have to admit, back in the old days people were creative. Did you know that George Harrison once referred to overzealous health nuts as the hipster avocado crowd
? We should try and make that happen again. Woo woo! Yeah, man.
Lolita
Lolita » 1955
Well, well, well...look at that! A book cover that Vladimir Nabokov would've approved! Lolita is like Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho to me - Tumblr famous aesthetic and popular and celebrated for all the wrong reasons. Except, American Psycho got a really brilliant film adaption. Lolita is a cleverly and beautifully written book about a heinous person (Humbert Humbert to be clear) and the most despicable crime. If you're interested in an in-depth analysis about everything regarding Lolita, I suggest you check out Final Girl Digital's YouTube video Why Lolita is Impossible to Adapt into Film.
Nine Stories
Nine Stories » 1953
The perfect collection of short stories for a book club because people tend to have wildly different opinions and interpretations of what is written here. Also a worthy discussion point: Salinger's obsession with young girls saving older men and older women being amoral. Did I mention I love WWII dramas? The short story For Esmé - with Love and Squalor is like a bonus episode of Band of Brothers to me.
Franny and Zooey
Franny and Zooey » 1961
One thing I love about Salinger is his ability to set a scene. This book in particular plays itself out like a film; I really admire Salinger for describing things in details without making it tedious. Also, this is a book which has so many good quotes and sentiments to remember, I'd highlight every page (with my pastel glitter pens) if I had a physical copy of it. I can very much related to Franny - as I can relate to Salinger's other hero Holden Caulfied - which I reckon maybe makes me quite insufferable...🤔
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies » 1954
I picked up this copy at a public bookcase and what makes it special is that it's an edition from 1972, in German - Herr der Fliegen. I read a lot of vintage books - mostly in English - and they never seem awfully dated to me. This one in its German translation did though. Funny how language works sometimes. Anyway, it's a good story with a great ending. Fascinating, how you forget that these are very young children and how hard the - rediscovered - realisation hits in the very last scene when they're finally rescued. Depressing and horrible themes aside, I loved the description of nature in that book; some scenes did remind me of a nice beach holiday. And then somebody died. 😔
The Love Book
The Love Book » 1966
I don't use the word empowering lightly - in fact, I quite hate it because nowadays it's stripped of its meaning entirely - but this book deserves the label. It got banned once due to its explicit content; an act of hypocrisy, naturally. Misogyny as well. It's not porn, it's erotic. It's not degrading, it's a woman talking about sex and her desires. And it's not just sex, it's a holy act - the sacred fuck
.
Children of the Void
Children of the Void » 1996
This is a book I only came across thanks to Clarity Anne's Aristasian Reminiscence Project.
Though it no longer exists, Aristasia was a group of women who abandoned men and the modern world. Instead, they made their own country, just for ladies, with an elaborate belief system and mythology.
The book features depictions of Aristasian IRL role play, called life theatre
and it's meant to show how Aristasians actually lived during the '90.
I find the whole concept of world building fascinating - despite Aristasians really not being fond of everything past '63 and especially seems to despise the Swinging Sixties and The Beatles. 🤨
I found the book quite amusing and I liked the style of writing as well.
The Beatles
The Beatles » 2012
It is the best Beatles photo book - at least if you're into early Beatlemania. The book contains photos of the lads up to '66 (including George's and Pattie's honeymoon) but the main focus is on '64. It's pure joy and vivacious and TASCHEN just makes the best photo books. The quality is top-notch; there's even a centrefold. Every new edition seems to become more expensive, but still I think it is worth the money.
Der Schut
The Yellow One » 1892
This is the sixth and last volume in Karl May's Orient Cycle about the adventures of Kara Ben Nemsi and Hadschi Halef Omar but it is my favourite and the one my dad used to read to me several times - well, he read them all to me a couple of times but this one the most. It's probably not the most suitable bedtime story for a little girl, but you know how dads are, right? He'd always preface it with the disclaimer that the following wasn't suitable for kids my age and that he'd not be responsible for any nightmares it'd cause. Well...it didn't give me sleepless nights but instead a large and rather unusual vocabulary for a primary school kid and many inside jokes I'd share with my dad. I still can recount Halef's full name, whenever I see a black horse it reminds me of Rih, Kara Ben Nemsi's legendary stallion and I'll never forget the face my teacher made when I explained what bastinado was.
The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye » 1951
I've often read the sentiment that, as a teen-ager, you'll love this book because you can identify with Holden and that it's a sign of maturity when you see him as the obnoxious, self-righteous person he truly is. I strongly disagree. I like Holden just the same as I did all those years ago...For me he's right in far more instances than he's wrong. Can you truly walk outside, mind your own business without being constantly reminded of that sentiment of people smearing fuck yous
on walls? The only real downside for me is that this book is so entwined with John Lennon's murder. Strange really, given that The Catcher in the Rye was one of John's favourite books, too.