9 of the best German books to read
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Loading... - Chiara Accardi
- 01 Nov 2022
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Enter the world of complex storytelling with German literature, for stories of history and influence. From the works of Mann to Kafka to Hesse, there is a plethora of fascinating German literature for readers with all kinds of tastes to indulge in. Whether you were born and raised in Germany and want to broaden your literary horizons, or you are an expat trying to enrich your German skills, here are some of the best German books to read.
Must-read German literature
The following are just some of the fundamental German books to start with for your reading exploration.
1. Der Tod in Venedig, Thomas Mann
Der Tod in Venedig (Death in Venice) by Thomas Mann depicts the story of an established writer, Gustav von Aschenbach, who visits Venice in search of a spiritual fulfilment that instead leads to his erotic doom. He meets a Polish tourist, Tadzio, and immediately feels liberated. What originally starts as a pique of interest becomes an overwhelming obsession with the young Polish boy, ultimately leading to a dark end. What makes this novel unique is that the character of Tadzio was inspired by a real boy Mann met on a trip to Venice, but the story is fictional.
Thomas Mann was a famous German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist and essayist who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1929. His work is influenced by Friedrich Nietzsche and Sigmund Freud, explaining the deep psychological and philosophical tone of his writings.
2. Tintenherz, Cornelia Funke
Tintenherz (Inkheart) by Cornelia Funke is a renowned young adult fantasy novel that follows the story of Meggie and her father, who read aloud from a book called Inkheart and enable an evil ruler to escape the bounds of the fictional book and land in their living room. Meggie must learn how to harness spell-bounding knowledge of magic and find a way to return the evil ruler back into the novel. The timeless tale of a young girl's love of books and her wild imagination is a sure page-turner for any young adult.
Cornelia Funke is an award-winning German fantasy writer, illustrator and storyteller, and she has become Germany’s best-selling author for children. Her stories have been translated into over 30 languages and Inkheart, The Thief Lord and Dragon Rider have become successful film adaptations.
3. Im Westen Nichts Neues, Erich Maria Remarque
Im Westen Nichts Neues (All Quiet on the Western Front) by Erich Maria Remarque describes the extreme physical stress and mental toll of German soldiers during World War I, along with the difficulty of returning back to civilian lives when they left the battlefield. The main character is Paul Bäumer, who enthusiastically enlists with his classmates for the war after hearing patriotic speeches from his teachers, but instead gets wrapped up in the horrors and disillusionment of life in the trenches. Read More...
