Challenge Details

[Melanie]

Neuendorf-Sachsenbande is the lowest point in Germany at 3.54 m below sea level

Read 1 to 5 books to achieve this level.

Post a topic below to commit to this level.

[Rosamund]

I'll say 4 based on the quarterly shared reads and see if I get sucked into more.

[Marian]

I'm going for four to start with and see how it goes. I'd like to read at least one in German, though I'd better choose carefully!

[Grissel]

I’m committing to two...

[Len]

4 sounds o.k.
I have no knowledge of German, so English translation will have to do.

[Sharon]

I’m committing to 5, and hopefully work my way up to the next level. I’ll be reading English translations.

[Raffaella]

I will start with this level!

[Sanne]

I'll start here as well... I can always level up :)

[Arlene]

A good beginning here for me. Besides Britta says it is a pretty little town.

[Britta]

Arlene wrote: "A good beginning here for me. Besides Britta says it is a pretty little town."

:-)

[Rosie]

I'm going to try for 4, I'm very interested in the Weimar period, T. Mann and Hesse.

[Anna]

I'm going to read three books in English and Polish translation.

[MAKI]

Oi, ich fange auch mal hier an. Vielleicht mit einer Satire?!

[Linda]

I'm aiming for five, but may upgrade later. Coincidentally, my village book club is reading Go Went Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck this month and I have already joined the group to read The Magic Mountain. I will be reading in translation.

[H]

I will try for this level, starting with The Magic Mountain. Mann. Perhaps Kafka next. Have a collection of short stories and many would be re-reads, but the book itself is sentimental since it came from a late friend’s collection. Another Heinrich Boll novel I have on ashelf. And then, and then, Goethe maybe.
Just ordered The Mussel Feast, Vanderbeke to add to my TBR

[Teresa]

I’ll begin at this level and read at least four, maybe five books. I plan on starting with Heimrad Bäcker’s Transcript and in February I’ll be reading Irretrievable by Theodore Fontane for an NYRB book group. I’ve also got a copy of his Effie Briest that I’ve long wanted to read. Also, Jenny Erpenbeck’s Visitation sits on my shelves and I’ve wanted to get her Go, Went, Gone.

I studied a bit of German in high school and college long ago and have forgotten more than I ever knew, so I’ll be reading in translation ;)

[Kirsten]

I am committing to four books but am open to more. We'll see how it goes...

[Sabine]

I was drawn to the 'Sachsenbande' because it's close to my native Hamburg. So, I'm opting for 5 books initially but expect to extend my challenge as the year progresses.

[Paula]

Here's my list (which I will continue to update, mal schauen, ob ich alle schaffe!):
1. Am Fluß von Esther Kinsky (eben bestellt)
2. Babylon Berlin bzw. der nasse Fisch von Volker Kutscher
3. Leo Nilheims Geschichte von Leo Agren, aus dem Schwedischen von Erik Gloßmann (durch die deutsche Sprache habe ich Zugang zur nordischen Literatur, die es nicht auf Englisch gibt)
4. Er ist wieder da von Timur Vermes
5. My Berlin Kitchen: A Love Story (with Recipes) von Luisa Weiss
6. Italienische Reise von Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
7. Ruhm. Ein Roman in neun Geschichten von Daniel Kehlmann
8. Die Mittagsfrau von Julia Franck
9. Das gute Fräulein von Halldór Laxness, aus dem Isländischen von Hubert Seelow
10. Die Schachspieler von Buenos Aires von Ariel Magnus, aus dem Spanischen von Silke Kleemann
11. Das Muschelessen von Birgit Vanderbeke

[Natalie (CuriousReader)]

As I have many goals for the reading year already, I thought I'd start with the level 1 and aim for 5 books, either in English or Swedish translation depending on the accessibility.

[Julie]

Hello guys,
Great challenge to get in to German literature. I have a couple books in German and it might be the biggest personal challenge 2020 to read at least half of the books, but I'll try)))
1. Die Therapie by Sebastian Fitzek
2. Es gab keinen Sex im Sozialismus: Legenden und Missverständnisse des vorigen Jahrhunderts by Wladimir Kaminer
3. Er ist wieder da by Timur Vermes
4. Die Apothekerin by Ingrid Noll
I guess all the books apart form Wladimir Kaminer are translated into English.
Good luck to everyone!

[Kristin]

Hello everyone,
I am going to try for five books. I will go up a level if it works out for me to read more.

1. by Annette Hess
2. by Esther Kinsky
3. by Andrea Maria Schenkel

[Audrey]

I am going to commit to two right now and try to level up. I am not familiar with German authors at all so hope to get some recs through Mel and Britta's videos and lists and what everyone else is reading.

[Sarah]

Like others, I'll start with this level, and see how it goes! As I'm doing many Goodreads challenges and some of my own, I'll keep it realistic for now with ONE book (Britta said one was enough to make the challenge...)! Esther Kinsky's books are available at my national library in ebook format (French translation) so La Rivière is my ONE on the list :) I'm sure this challenge will introduce me to new authors I would never have come across with, so thanks for including books that have been translated into other languages for us non-German speakers.

Good luck everyone with your own goals!

[Barb]

I'm starting with this level as well...don't think I'll likely get to more than 5 books for this challenge, but we'll see how it goes :)

[Julissa]

Like many, I'm going to start with this level as well. I think I'll commit to four books, but hopefully I can do better than that.

[Louise]

I am committing to this level. I know I will be somewhere from 1-5, not sure where I'll end up, but will commit to at least one.

[Charlotte]

I'm trying this level. I have read one book by Juli Zeh this year, we'll see if I read any more german books. Commitment is really not my strong side.

[Sukanya]

I am not big on commitments but I would like to start from the lowest level and see how far I come this year. Although I read most of the books in German I see that I have been ignoring the german writers this year. This challenge is really a good way for me to rectify that. I am pretty late into the group so I don't know how far I will come this year. But I am still glad I found this group specially for the wonderful recommendations...:-) Happy reading!