View Master $150 seems to be a magic number for German immigrants. William B Gruber and my father both arrived here in the United States with $150 in their pockets. From there they chose different paths. In tge book, “View Master, The Biography of William B Gruber”, his daughter Gretchen J Gruber lovingly shares the story of an immigrant who…
Category: Book Reviews
Islands in the Storm by Susanne Bacon
Islands in the Storm: A Novel As a history lover, I get excited when I find a new view into the past… a story I hadn’t heard before, something fascinating that feels like I SHOULD have known about it, but didn’t. And even better, when that view into the past comes in the form of engaging and well researched fiction.…
German Girl in America Book Corner- Books about Germany
The first printed book was in German, and Germany publishes about 94,000 titles per year. It’s no wonder I love to read! It’s in the genes! And I love recommending books. (I should have become a librarian.) Since getting all of you in my house for Book Club could be tricky, I created the German Girl in America Book Corner.…
Belonging by Nora Krug – A German Reckons with History and Home
Now and then, a book comes along, and my first reaction is, “I wish I had written this.” Belonging by Norah Krug is one of those books. The book pulled me in from the first section because it was so relatable. I tore through the book in 2 afternoons. “Belonging, A German Reckons with History and Home” is not your…
What was Peasant Life Like? Our Daily Bread: German Village Life 1500-1850
Our Daily Bread: German Village Life, 1500-1850 Most history books give you plain facts… you learn about wars, you learn who was king, and where the borders changed. What you don’t usually get, is what was it LIKE to be a peasant and have battles raging around you? To actually struggle to feed a family? What was German Village life…
The German Cookbook by Alfons Schuhbeck- My Review
The German Cookbook Recently the people at Phaidon Publishing asked me to take a look at The German Cookbook… and wow, I’m impressed. Alfons Schubeck’s collection of over 500 authentic German recipes brings together all the different regional dishes in one (heavy) comprehensive book. You won’t just find the standard Rouladen, Sauerbraten, Schnitzel Recipes that are on most German menus.…
Max and Moritz- Behind Wilhelm Busch’s Bad Boy Stories
At the end of the book, the Miller grinds up the two boys in the giant flour mill, and ducks eat them. It sounds like the latest horror film to come out of Hollywood, doesn’t it? But this is the ending of Wilhelm Busch’s “Max und Moritz: Eine Bubgeschichte in sieben Streichen” (“Max and Moritz : A Boyish Story of…
The Shortest History of Germany – A Book Review
The Shortest History of Germany I never pack enough books when I travel. The worry about overweight luggage or carrying things I won’t need is just too stressful. So, on my last trip to Berlin, I got to the airport with only a chapter of a book left to finish… not nearly enough for my 11 hour flight home. Luckily,…
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson- My Review
“In the Garden of Beasts” refers to the Tiergarten in Berlin (which translates to Animal Park or Beast Garden). Much of the book takes place around this beautiful park, once the hunting ground for the Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm, the Grosse. In the 1930s, the Reichstag, the US Embassy, the Brandenburg Gate, and Görings “city house” were nearby. The Tiergarten…