Roberto (Author) Bolano: 2666 [Roberto Bolano]
A whirl-wind story through the 20th century (*****)
Aravind Adiga: The White Tiger: A Novel (Man Booker Prize)
An open letter written by an Indian entrepreneur / killer to the Chinese PM - often funny, but also sad. Brilliantly written. (*****)
Hans Pleschinski: Ludwigshöhe
about a residence for suicide candidates, most of who change their views about ending their lives and wanting to start a new one - with great Bavarian flair (****)
Uwe Tellkamp: Der Turm
Not that easy to read - but certainly one of the best books about the GDR ever written. This time about the intellecual, bourgeois circles in Dresden. (****)
Matthias Wegehaupt: Die Insel
Brilliant book about the period from late 1950s to late 1980s in the GDR. An artist tries to lead an independent life on a remote island. Great portrait of a rural small village population in those times, coping with the destruction of their ecological, economical and social environment. Great reading! (*****)
Alaa Al Aswany: The Yacoubian Building: A Novel
Very lively and interesting book about people living in modern Cairo - some critics say it helps understanding the whole Middle East much better (****)
MARK Z. DANIELEWSKI: HOUSE OF LEAVES
A fantastic maze to read - thrilling, entertaining - a must have for post-modern horror lovers (*****)
Ulrich Peltzer: Teil der Lösung
A page-turning political thriller with high literary standards. One of my favorite books last year. (*****)
Werner Bräunig: Rummelplatz
Written in the 1960s - but never published as the Eastern German politicians would not allow such a brutally honest portrait of their society. Full of hopes, full of humanity - and how the state crushed it all. Especially the first half is outstanding, you feel it is an unfinished book though as the end is not at the same standard anymore. Still - a must. (*****)
Jonathan Littell: Les Bienveillantes
Topic of hot discussions - no-one will love this book I hope, but I have rarely read a book describing war from such a close perspective (*****)
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