November is, of course, German Literature Month on many lovely blogs, and I’m planning to take part myself; I think much of my German reading will be in the form of Mann’s “The Magic Mountain” – all 700-odd pages of it…..!
However, this week is Christa Wolf Week, hosted by Caroline at Beauty is a Sleeping Cat. I read Wolf’s “The Quest for Christa T” a year ago for German Literature Month and absolutely loved it. I have a pile of Wolf’s books lurking but I suspect I won’t get to any this year thanks to Thomas Mann. So I thought I would point you back to my earlier review and a book of which I said: The quest for Christa T. is in the end a quest for truth, full of phrases and sentences that pull you up with their brilliance.
You can read the rest of my review here, and I’m looking forward to reading other people’s posts on Wolf this week!
Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings 
Nov 08, 2015 @ 09:08:16
I recall your review of Christa T. 🙂 Christa Wolf is another writer I’d like to try at some point (once I’ve made a little more progress with the piles of unread books at home).
Nov 08, 2015 @ 09:57:14
🙂 I know what you mean about the piles – I am actually having no trouble resisting books at the moment which is most odd…..
Nov 08, 2015 @ 09:47:30
I’m almost finished with Christa T but it’s less reading than wrestling. I acn’t say I don’t like it. It has wonderful passages.
Nov 08, 2015 @ 09:56:41
I think I’d describe it as challenging but rewarding. Once I got into the way she had of writing and how much was implied rather than said, I got on a lot better!
Nov 08, 2015 @ 11:05:42
I agree. I had a busy week and tried to read her late at night, which didn’t work so well. Now, early in the morning and fresh it’s another thing entirely.
Nov 08, 2015 @ 12:32:16
There are some books you need to be fresh for – I’m even finding I respond better to The Magic Mountain in the morning!
Nov 08, 2015 @ 14:07:24
Mann tends to be better read in the morning. I just ordered a brand new book called “Die Manns” and it’s a biography of eigth Manns and said to be excellent.
Nov 08, 2015 @ 14:10:01
Yes, I’m definitely finding that! Look forward to your thoughts on the biography!
Nov 08, 2015 @ 10:29:35
I feel so ashamed – I’ve never read Christa Wolf myself. Tsts. Now I am looking forward to your future reviews of her still lurking books. Thomas Mann is fun. His ironic descriptions of the sanatorium inmates are – at least in the German version – hilarious. One of my favorites. I am curious about your reactions to the novel.
Nov 08, 2015 @ 12:32:55
I’ve only read the one of her works, but I really would like to read more. I’m loving the Mann very much, although it is loooooooong!
Nov 08, 2015 @ 11:54:12
I’ve had one of those mornings where I’m trying to decide what to read next; there are many options but I end up reading nothing.
I keep looking at Wolf’s work and the only one that jumps out at me at the moment is What Remains.
Nov 08, 2015 @ 12:15:23
I hate times like that – so frustrating, when you have an array of books in front of you and just can’t decide. Good luck with whatever you embark on!
Nov 08, 2015 @ 17:02:26
Quest for Christa T is certainly a frustrating book to read. I was on the point of giving up on it several times.
Nov 08, 2015 @ 18:33:36
I didn’t find it easy at first, but I confess once I got into the flow of it things improved. I ended up liking it very much but I wouldn’t call it a light read!
Nov 08, 2015 @ 19:02:55
I can’t join in this time as I haven’t any more Christa Wolf books and only read The Quest for Christa T in the summer. Lovely looking collection that. 😊
Nov 08, 2015 @ 19:38:08
Nothing prettier than a pile of Greens!
Nov 10, 2015 @ 08:58:01
Wow – I proofread a friend’s thesis on Mann once and have never fancied reading “The Magic Mountain” since, and I fear I don’t have anything German on my TBR, although I’ll have a look just in case. But have fun!
Nov 10, 2015 @ 09:26:29
It’s fascinating, though quite dense in places! Luckily, I already have several German books lurking, though with the size of The Magic Mountain, it remains to be seen if I get on to them…