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.…
Category: Book Reviews
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. So, it’s no wonder I love to read! (It’s in the genes!) And I love to recommend books (maybe I should have become a librarian?). Rather than start a book club (getting all of you in my house could be a bit tricky) I thought…
Belonging by Nora Krug – A German Reckons with History and Home
Every 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. From the first section, the book pulled me in because it was so relatable. (I tore through the book in 2 afternoons.) “Belonging, A German Reckons with History and Home” is not…
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…
German Christmas Treats from All Tastes German
German Christmas Treats is a wonderful little cookbook from the website All Tastes German. I stumbled across the site, and the cookbook, completely by chance, and I’m just delighted that I did. There are over 40 recipes in the book, and each one is a gem. And this year they’ve added 4 new recipes!! Honestly, I could do all of my…
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
In the end, two boys are ground up by the Miller in the giant flour mill, and then eaten by ducks. 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 Seven Pranks”).…
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” was nearby. This was Berlin’s…