No, they’re not my reading plan for year 2023. But they will be my brilliant friends for this year!
Part 1
Theme: Russia and Ukraine Read
These 4 books are to help me understand Russia and Ukraine. A Classical literature (Dostoevsky), also contemporary literature of a Russian author (Ulitskaya), from a migrant perspective (Wodin) and from a foreign perspective (Roberts).
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Jacob’s Ladder by Lyudmila Ulitskaya
Sie kam aus Mariupol
She Came from Mariupol by Natascha Wodin
The Lost Pianos of Siberia by Sophy Roberts
Part 2
Theme: Journey and Home
Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier.
I haven’t been to Lisbon yet, why don’t jump on the train 🚃 ?
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
An adventure in Amazon rainforest. I hope our future generation still can see the rainforest. Please stop deforestation! Ibbotson wrote this book as a remembrance of her husband, a former naturalist.
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
The novel deals with historical issues in Malaysia: The Japanese occupation of Malaya, post-war Malayan Emergency, Malaysia after independence. And Malaysia is my childhood home.
The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
The journey to Celestial City, the home for my soul.
Where would you like to travel to?
Where’s home to you?
What’s home to you?
Part 3
Theme: German History and Culture
The Diary of a Young Girl Anne Frank
Anna Frank Tagebuch, translated into German language by Mirjam Pressler
A read about the history that we are not allowed to forget. Anna Frank, Jewish victim of the Holocaust, was born in Frankfurt, fled to Amsterdam in year 1933, betrayed and sent to a concentration camp in year 1944 and died in year 1945.
So You Finally Found Us by Edgar Selge
Hast du uns endlich gefunden by Edgar Selge
A book talks about the post-war generation. The attempt to confront and to deal with the trauma of the Germany’s Nazi past.
How I Learned to Play the Piano by Hanns-Josef Ortheil
Wie ich Klavier lernte
Ortheil describes how he was taught as a gifted piano student who dreamed of a career as a pianist. Nowadays, he writes wonderful books. This is a book about music, music and music! And music is the reason why I am still staying in Germany.
The Magician by Colm Tóibín
Historical fiction about the life and times of the exiled German Nobel winner Thomas Mann. I always wanted to read Thomas Mann’s work, but failed every time, too difficult for me to understand it. I hope this book can open a door, if not, a little window into Thomas Mann’s mind.
PS I know I am really crazy about books, I already know the 12 books that I want to read in year 2024.
As always, if you like to read about my reading journal, you can support me with the website below. I can save it for buying the books for the year 2024. I thank you in advance!
https://ko-fi.com/thejourneywriter