I've been doing ThrowbackThursdays for a while but I noticed that I wrote a lot of reviews in a short time when I first started. So, I post more than one Throwback every week. These are my reviews from November 2014.
Bradbury, Ray "The Martian Chronicles" - 1950
This is a highly interesting novel about the human invasion on another planet. A dystopian novel that couldn't envisage anything better. Or worse.
Döblin, Alfred "Berlin Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf" (German: Berlin Alexanderplatz: Die Geschichte vom Franz Biberkopf) - 1929
If I have said about "Ulysses" that it was the most difficult book I have ever read, I probably have to put this as number two. The novel is the story of Franz Biberkopf and starts with his release from prison. Throughout the book, we see how he cannot find a way back into normal life, just as the Weimarer Republik couldn't get back to a normal state after World War I. There are a lot of allusions to the political time as well as to biblical stories, there are so many layers in this book.
Nietzsche, Friedrich "Thus spoke Zarathustra. A Book for All and None" (German: Also sprach Zarathustra. Ein Buch für Alle und Keinen) - 1883-85
A philosophical book. The title itself is mere poetry. Even for non-German speakers, it sounds magical, or at least it should.
I haven't read any Nietzsche cover to cover (yet) but did study him in University. I was *very* impressed. I described it like breathing pure oxygen. The head of department said to us (post-grads) that they worried about teaching him to undergrads because his ideas were SO powerful....
ReplyDeleteHe's not someone you pick up and read in one go, it took me quite a while to get through this. But yes, he is very impressive. Thanks, Kitten.
DeleteI haven't read any Nietzsche. I think I was not expecting his writing to be poetical!
ReplyDeleteIt makes you think, that's for sure, Deb. And he just writes beautifully.
DeleteI like Ray Bradbury...though I haven't read any of his Martian Chronicles. I need to put them on my list.
ReplyDeleteI've only read this one and Fahrenheit 451 but I was impressed by both, Lark. I am looking forward to hearing from you that you loved it.
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