November 2022 sees the twelfth edition of German Literature Month. With Caroline taking a sabbatical from the event this year, I shall be hostessing solo.

The Scagliola-Saal featured on this year’s badge is located in the Bamberg State Library. Bamberg was home to E T A Hoffmann from 1808-1813, and 2022 is the bicentennial of his death. If you’ve been following my reading journey this year, you’ll know that I got Hooked on Hoffmann this summer. I’ve written three posts on him (1 2 3) and there is lots more to read and review. November will be the time for that. But rather than organising a Hoffmann week (because I realise German Romanticism isn’t everyone’s cup of tea) I’ll align my musings to this year’s reading prompts.

Which are …

November 1-7 First time for everything.

This is the week for literary debuts, reading an author for the first time, reading a new-to-you genre or a new-to-you-publisher. This might even be the time for your first ever review for German Literature Month!

November 8-14 Second helpings

A week for second works, or returning to an author or translator for a second time. Perhaps even a re-read.

November 15-21 Firm favourites

A week for favourite authors or translators, the next in a series, something from the catalogue of a favourite publisher.

November 22-28 Something different

Time to shake it up by reading outwith your comfort zone. Choose a work of non-fiction if you primarily read fiction, or try some poetry, drama, a graphic novel. This is a good opportunity for a book to movie review.

November 29-30 Read as you please or participate in a group read of E T A Hoffmann’s The Life and Opinions of Tomcat Murr on 30.11. (Chosen for the bicentennial, and because Anthea Bell once told me it was her personal favourite among her German translations.)

As always you can read as you please but these prompts are so flexible, anything you choose will match one, somewhere along the way. Perhaps you can think of other interpretations. German Literature Month is the time to have fun with German literature. So don’t stress about the suggested timetable. It’s just how I’ll be structuring my month.

It doesn’t matter which language you read in as long as the original work was written in German. And remember you need only review one title to participate. Reviews can be as long or a short as you like and can be published on any social media platform. Just include the hashtag #germanlitmonth, so others can find and read it.

Right, I’m off to rummage for potential reads. Will report back in due course. l’m looking forward to seeing how you’ll interpret the prompts and which books you’ll choose for GLM XII. Because you will join me, won’t you?

Advertisement