Tannbach

We're currently watching and really enjoying this German series. It follows the story of a village split in two by the border between West and East Germany after World War Two.

I studied a lot of the history in school and at uni but this really brings it to life and makes it personal. I wish it had been around when I was a student.

Heinz Ruhmann

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When I'm not being too lazy, I like to watch more German films; both for entertainment and to improve my language skills. 

A few years ago, Nico introduced me to the Feuerzangenbowle - a Christmas film. It was good but it was back when I struggled to follow feature length films. 

It came as part of a set and recently we watched the Pauker - a film all about a teacher who turns around  that difficult class. This time I followed the whole thing without subtitles and really enjoyed it.

Then, when Isabella was born, Nico bought her a musical toy with changeable tunes. One was a lullaby which I knew straight away and the other, I had no idea what it was. Nico couldn't believe I didn't know it and immediately ordered the film it comes from - another Heinz Ruhmann classic he grew up with - Wenn der Vater mit dem Sohne. We watched it this week and it was another one I loved and could follow easily.

I really recommend these films for anyone who speaks German and especially for those who are learning.

P.S. Here's that lovely lullaby.

Tintenherz

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Finally, I made it to the end of this book.  It's not that it's a bad book - far from it.  It's just that it was my first one in German for a while and I stupidly decided to break it up with some other English books so it seems to have taken forever.

To the book itself though - I can't say anything negative.  It's a book for children but the vocabulary was still a stretch for me at times.  I loved the concept - it's a little like Harry Potter for bookworms in that it mixes magic and books.  I was vaguely aware that there was a film out there - Inkheart, but I have never seen it.

The characters and settings are brilliant.  The story line is also great in the way loose ends are tied up and it's full of twists and turns that are wonderfully written.  It was also important to me to read a book that was originally written in German too.  There are some books - like Captain Bluebear where that's really impossible for me but this one wasn't too much of a stretch. 

Looking forward to the next parts of the trilogy after a little break.

The City of Dreaming Books

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In the first week of January I devoured this latest offering from Walter Moers.  I've read and commented on his two previous novels - The 13 1/2 lives of Captain Bluebear and Rumo, and the City of Dreaming Books follows on in much the same way - a children's adventure book for adults.  This time however, I connected better than ever with the subject matter - books, writers, libraries...basically everything literary.

The adventure is beautifully written and created.  There are so many unexpected twists and turns but by the end of the book, no loose end is left untied.  I was about fifty pages from the end wondering how he was going to finish everything off in time but he did it.  He did justice to all the characters and also brought in aspects from his other two novels as they are all set in his fantasy world of Zamonia.

Again, the work of the translator is almost equally amazing.  When Nico gets around to this novel, I really want to take a peek at the German to see how much was adapted for an English speaking audience but it is amazing how it still works so well in English.  A fantastic read.