(Sir)Thomas is reading again

Discussie75 Books Challenge for 2018

Sluit je aan bij LibraryThing om te posten.

(Sir)Thomas is reading again

Dit onderwerp is gemarkeerd als "slapend"—het laatste bericht is van meer dan 90 dagen geleden. Je kan het activeren door een een bericht toe te voegen.

1SirThomas
jan 7, 2018, 12:27 pm



Happy New Year to all of you and welcome to my thread.

Hi everybody, my Name is Thomas, I am 56 years young and I live in a small town in northern Baden Württemberg, Germany.
2015 we moved from a house with attic and cellar into an apartment without theese spaces. So I had to separate from books. This was hard, but with a little help from time and my ebook-reader I recovered from the shock.
This is my year 6 in this awesome group, and every year is going better and better.

With my taste for reading, I hold it like Oscar Wilde:
You should read it all. More than half of our education today is due to what we shouldn't read.

2SirThomas
jan 7, 2018, 12:28 pm

New Year
that means
everything is now one more year ago.

3SirThomas
Bewerkt: aug 10, 2018, 2:25 am

A great idea from Paul Cranswick last year was A BOOK A YEAR FOR THE FIRST 55 YEARS OF MY LIFE
This is my updated list:
1961 Ein Mann in einer fremden Welt / Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
1962 Die Physiker / The Physicists: A Play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
1963 Platon im Stripteaselokal / Misreadings by Umberto Eco
1964 Am Freitag schlief der Rabbi lang / Friday the Rabbi Slept Late by Harry Kemelman
1965 Der Wüstenplanet / Dune by Frank Herbert
1966 Die phantastische Reise / Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov
1967 Die Vergangenheit der Zukunft (Future History) / The Past Through Tomorrow by Robert A. Heinlein
1968 2001 - Odyssee im Weltraum / 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
1969 Papillon / Papillon by Henri Charrière
1970 Und die Großen läßt man laufen / Murder at the Savoy by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö
1971 Der Exorzist / The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
1972 Sieh doch die Harlekins / Look at the Harlequins! by Vladimir Nabokov
1973 Momo oder die seltsame Geschichte von den Zeit-Dieben und von dem Kind, das den Menschen die gestohlene Zeit zurückbrachte / Momo by Michael Ende
1974 Carrie / Carrie by Stephen King
1975 Dhalgren / Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany
1976 Interwiew mit einem Vampir / Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
1977 Sternentanz / Stardance by Jeanne Robinson & Spider Robinson
1978 Stadtgeschichten / Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
1979 Per Anhalter durch die Galaxis / The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
1980 Der Name der Rose / The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
1981 Cujo / Cujo by Stephen King
1982 Freitag / Friday by Robert A. Heinlein
1983 Christine / Christine by Stephen King
1984 Der Talisman / The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub
1985 Contact / Contact by Carl Sagan
1986 Es / It by Stephen King
1987 Der Elektrische Mönch: Dirk Gently's Holistische Detektei / Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams
1988 Fool on the hill / Fool on the hill by Matt Ruff
1989 Hyperion / Hyperion by Dan Simmons
1990 The Stand / The Stand (unabridged) by Stephen King
1991 Sofies Welt / Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy by Jostein Gaarder
1992 Fräulein Smillas Gespür für Schnee / Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg
1993 Alpträume / Nightmares & Dreamscapes by Stephen King
1994 Asche zu Asche / Playing for the Ashes by Elizabeth George
1995 Dunkle Kammern / The Dark Room by Minette Walters
1996 The Green Mile / The Green Mile by Stephen King
1997 G.A.S. / Sewer, Gas and Electric: The Public Works Trilogy by Matt Ruff
1998 Wächter der Nacht / The Night Watch by Sergej Lukianenko
1999 Die 13 1/2 Leben des Käpt'n Blaubär / 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers
2000 Das Haus = House of leaves / House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
2001 Jack Taylor fliegt raus / The Guards: A Novel by Ken Bruen
2002 Die Bibel nach Biff : die wilden Jugendjahre von Jesus, erzählt von seinem besten Freund / Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
2003 Ich und die anderen / Set This House in Order by Matt Ruff
2004 Der Turm / The Dark Tower by Stephen King
2005 Olympos / Olympos by Dan Simmons
2006 Am Ende war die Tat / What Came Before He Shot Her by Elizabeth George
2007 Der Tod und der Dicke / Death Comes for the Fat Man by Reginald Hill
2008 Das Spiel des Engels / The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
2009 1Q84 / 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
2010 Raum / Room by Emma Donoghue
2011 5 Dinge, die Sterbende am meisten bereuen / The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware
2012 Glaube der Lüge / Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George
2013 Das Dickicht / The Thicket by Joe R. Lansdale
2014 Der Seidenspinner / The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
2014 Die Seiten der Welt by Kai Meyer
2015 Opferweg / Saint Odd by Dean Koontz
2016 Leben bis zuletzt by Sven Gottschling
2017 Und dann steht einer auf und öffnet das Fenster by Susann Pasztor
2018 Lovecraft Country / Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

Edit:
After reading some excellent books, it's time to update my leaderboard.
Sorry Robert.

4SirThomas
jan 7, 2018, 12:28 pm

The complete List of my reading in 2018:
Books Read in 2018

5SirThomas
Bewerkt: mrt 31, 2018, 5:30 am

JANUARY
1. Sleeping Beauties / Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King and Owen King
2. Deus Ex Machina by Ernst Wurdack
3. Pastetenlust by Pierre Emme
4. Die Morde des Herrn ABC / The A. B. C. murders by Agatha Christie
5. Ruhm / Fame: A Novel in Nine Episodes by Daniel Kehlmann
6. Unter Tränen gelacht by Bettina Tietjen
7. Kind der Zeit / Child of Time by Robert Silverberg and Isaac Asimov
8. Furien / Fiends by Richard Laymon

FEBRUARY
9. Die Lust und ihr Preis: Aufzeichnungen eines reisenden Gentleman / The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester
10. Vampirjäger / Bite by Richard Laymon
11. Das fehlende Glied in der Kette / The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
12. Mord auf dem Golfplatz / The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie
13. Der alte König in seinem Exil / TThe old king in his exile by Arno Geiger
14. The New Dead: Die Zombie-Anthologie / The New Dead: A Zombie Anthology by Christopher Golden (Editor)
15. Grand Cru / The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker
16. Schwarze Diamanten / Black Diamond by Martin Walker
17. Delikatessen / The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker
18. Sommer des Lebens / Summertime by J. M. Coetzee
19. Die Rückkehr des Lemming by Stefan Slupetzky

MARCH
20. Das Puppenhaus / Small World by Tabitha King
21. Die Einkreisung / The Alienist by Caleb Carr
22. Macht by Karen Duve
23. Vorhang /Curtain by Agatha Christie
24. Unheil über der Stadt / Phantoms by Dean Koontz
25. Schwarze Brandung by Sabine Weiß
26. Ich bin nicht alt, nur schon sehr lange jung by Alexandra Reinwarth
27. Mit Kant-Zitaten zum Orgasmus by Moritz Netenjakob
28. Schuld by Ferdinand von Schirach
29. Du bist tot / Halting State by Charles Stross
30. Unter allen Beeten ist Ruh by Auerbach & Keller
31. Dangerous Davies, der letzte Detektiv / Dangerous Davies, Last Detective by Leslie Thomas
32. Ein Pfeil vom Himmel by Gilbert Keith Chesterton

6SirThomas
Bewerkt: aug 7, 2018, 9:50 am

APRIL
33. Exit / Devil's Waltz by Jonathan Kellerman
34. Priester und Detektiv by Gilbert Keith Chesterton
35. Menschenskind! / Manalive by Gilbert Keith Chesterton
36. Die Seiten der Welt by Kai Meyer
37. Nachtland by Kai Meyer
38. Blutbuch by Kai Meyer
39. Und das Leben geht doch weiter by Martin Kreuels
40. Kreuzstich, Bienenstich, Herzstich by Tatjana Kruse
41. Nadel, Faden, Hackebeil by Tatjana Kruse
42. Finger, Hut und Teufelsbrut by Tatjana Kruse
43. Alles im Griff by Martin Suter

MAY
44. Totensonntag by Andreas Föhr
45. Karwoche by Andreas Föhr
46. Der Gentleman mit der Feuerhand by Derek Landy
47. Schwarze Piste by Andreas Föhr
48. Der Schrei des Eisvogels / Pictures of Perfection by Reginald Hill
49. Wenn Männer trauern: Über den Umgang mit Abschied und Verlust by Wolfgang Müller-Commichau and Roland Schaefer
50. Der Wald des Vergessens / The Wood Beyond by Reginald Hill
51. Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff
52. Die Kunst des klaren Denkens by Rolf Dobelli
53. Das Dorf der verschwundenen Kinder / On Beulah Height by Reginald Hill
54. Sterbefasten. Freiwilliger Verzicht auf Nahrung und Flüssigkeit by Christiane zur Nieden
55. Das Haus an der Klippe / Arms and the Women by Reginald Hill
56. Der Spezialist / Legacies by F Paul Wilson

JUNE
57. Wenn guten Menschen Böses widerfährt / When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold S. Kushner
58. Kluftinger by Volker Klüpfel and Michael Kobr
59. Dhalgren / Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany
60. Die schwarze Feder / Darkness Under the Sun by Dean Koontz
61. Der Rabenmann / What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz

7SirThomas
Bewerkt: nov 26, 2018, 8:03 am

JULY
62. Der Freund der Toten / Himself by Jess Kidd
63. Verblendung / The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
64. Verdammnis / The Girl Who Played with Fire Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
65. Vergebung / The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
66. Yoga für Tiere by Klaus Puth
67. Machine of Death / Machine of Death by Ryan North
68. Sternwanderer / Stardust by Neil Gaiman
69. 999 Festmahl des Grauens / 999: Twenty-nine Original Tales of Horror and Suspense by Al Sarrantonio
70. Im Kreis der Verschwörer / Conspiracies (Repairman Jack) by F. Paul Wilson

AUGUST
71. Und dann steht einer auf und öffnet das Fenster by Susann Pasztor
72. Die rätselhaften Worte / Dialogues of the Dead by Reginald Hill
73. Vorübergehend tot / Dead Until Dark by Harris, Charlaine
74. Untot in Dallas / Living Dead in Dallas by Harris, Charlaine
75. Von der Kunst, schlechte Nachrichten gut zu überbringen by Jalid Sehouli
76. Club Dead / Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
77. Wer stiehlt schon Unterschenkel by Gert Prokop
78. Die Launen des Todes / Death's Jest-Book by Reginald Hill
79. Das ägyptische Kreuz / The Egyptian Cross Mystery by Ellery Queen
80. Der Outsider / The Outsider by Stephen King

SEPTEMBER
81. Dem Tod auf der Spur : dreizehn spektakuläre Fälle aus der Rechtsmedizin by Michael Tsokos
82. Geraubte Erinnerung / The Footprints of God by Greg Iles
83. @E.R.O.S. / Mortal fear by Greg Iles
84. Auferstehung der Toten by Wolf Haas
85. Der Knochenmann by Wolf Haas
86. Die Prinzessin und der Wilderer by Roald Dahl
87. Berlin blutrot by Andreas Izquierdo
88. Arkadien erwacht by Kai Meyer
89. Der letzte Tag der Schöpfung by Wolfgang Jeschke

8SirThomas
Bewerkt: jan 5, 2019, 4:38 am

OCTOBER
90. Die Toten von Jericho / The Dead of Jericho by Colin Dexter
91. Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen / Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by Joanne K. Rowling
92. Harry Potter und die Kammer des Schreckens / Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by Joanne K. Rowling
93. Breisschauer by Anne Grießer
94. Harry Potter und der Gefangene von Askaban / Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by Joanne K. Rowling
95. Frohes Fest by Wolfgang Jeschke
96. Harry Potter und der Feuerkelch / Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by Joanne K. Rowling
97. Harry Potter und der Orden des Phönix / Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by Joanne K. Rowling
98. Harry Potter und der Halbblutprinz / Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by Joanne K. Rowling
99. Harry Potter und die Heiligtümer des Todes / Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by Joanne K. Rowling
100. Wer Strafe verdient / The Punishment She Deserves by Elizabeth George
101. Rosen für Apoll / by Joachim Fernau
102. Alpträume / Nightmares and Geezenstacks by Frederic Brown
103. Die Detektive von Chicago / Compliments of a Fiend by Frederic Brown

NOVEMBER
104. Saufit: Von einem, der auszog, nie wieder krank zu werden / Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection by A. J. Jacobs
105. Ein gutes Omen. Die freundlichen und zutreffenden Prophezeiungen der Hexe Agnes Spinner / Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
106. Bruderherz: Ich hätte dir so gern die ganze Welt gezeigt by Terry Pratchett and Marian Grau
107. Welten im All / Best Science Fiction Stories of James Blish by James Blish
108. Die sieben Geheimnisse guten Sterbens by Dorothea Mihm and Annette Bopp
109. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
110. Hard-boiled Wonderland und Das Ende der Welt / Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami

DECEMBER
111. Arkadien brennt by Kai Meyer
112. Arkadien fällt by Kai Meyer
113. Die Welt ist nicht immer Freitag by Horst Evers
114. Höllenjazz in New Orleans / The Axeman's Jazz by Ray Celestin
115. Sturmnacht / Storm Front by Jim Butcher
116. Wolfsjagd / Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
117. Per Anhalter durch die Galaxis / The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
118. Weird Weirder Weirdest by Martii A Maclean
119. Das todsichere Ding: Die Geschichte eines Computer-Coups by Gert Prokop
120. Am zehnten Tage / Ten Days' Wonder by Ellery Queen
121. Sherlock Holmes und Jack the Ripper - eine Studie des Schreckens / A Study in Terror by Ellery Queen
122. Die Memoiren des Grafen / The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie
123. Der letzte Joker / The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie
124. Mission - Spiel auf Zeit / Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
125. Das Restaurant am Ende des Universums / The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
126. Das Leben, das Universum und der ganze Rest / Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams
127. Im Zwielicht des Todes Stronger Than Death by Manda Scott

9SirThomas
jan 7, 2018, 12:29 pm

And now let the reading begin!

10majleavy
jan 7, 2018, 2:33 pm

I like that list a lot, Thomas - I guess I should say, I like a lot of those books. Don't know that I've ever encountered another reader of Sewer, Gas, and Electric, and Dhalgren is one of my all time favorites. In all, I've read at least 21 from your list.

Happy New Year to you.

11drneutron
jan 7, 2018, 4:03 pm

Welcome back! Yup, Dhalgren was great!

12thornton37814
jan 8, 2018, 11:44 am

Happy 2018 reading!

13PaulCranswick
jan 8, 2018, 1:22 pm



Happy New Year
Happy New Group here
This place is full of friends
I hope it never ends
It brew of erudition and good cheer.

14PersephonesLibrary
jan 8, 2018, 2:05 pm

Happy new Reading Year! I love the idea of a book per life year. I tried that a few years ago - maybe I will get back to that this year!

15FAMeulstee
jan 8, 2018, 2:27 pm

Happy reading in 2018, Thomas!

>1 SirThomas: We moved 10 years before you did, and had the same problems. We culled more than 1500 books (about 1/3rd of our collection).

16mstrust
jan 8, 2018, 3:15 pm

Happy new year, and have a great time with your reading this year!

17sirfurboy
jan 9, 2018, 6:37 am

Happy new year. I am looking forward to seeing what you have been reading again this year.

18SirThomas
jan 9, 2018, 7:41 am

>10 majleavy: Thank you and a Happy New Year to you too.
I liked G.A.S. (GAS): Die Trilogie der Stadtwerke a lot, but my favourite book from Matt Ruff is Fool on the hill.
Dhalgren I read years ago, a friend lent it to me. I am still looking for a book for a re-read.

>11 drneutron: Thank you, Jim. It's always a pleasure when others love the same books as I do. But a greater pleasure is to find new good books in this group - thank you for your work.

>12 thornton37814: Thank yo, Lori. I wish you the same!

19SirThomas
jan 9, 2018, 7:41 am

>13 PaulCranswick: You're so right, Paul - and very well said!

20SirThomas
jan 9, 2018, 7:42 am

>14 PersephonesLibrary: Thank yo, Kathy. I wish you the same!
Try the list, it's fun - but it's been hard for me in some years to decide.
I'll revise the list sometime, maybe there are other titles on it.
2016 has already changed compared to the previous year.

>15 FAMeulstee: Thank You.
I just needed to sort out a little over 500 books. No comparison to your loss.
But life goes on and I was compensated by a very nice apartment and great neighbors.

>16 mstrust: Thank you Jennifer and the same to you!

>17 sirfurboy: Thank You, and the same to you.
I am looking forward to seeing what you have been reading again this year.
So do I :-).

21majleavy
jan 9, 2018, 12:50 pm

>18 SirThomas: I'd forgotten all about Fool on the Hill. Long time ago.

22SirThomas
jan 10, 2018, 5:49 am

Wow 21 posts and no books read - for me a new record.

Most of all 21 is only half the truth

So here is my first book of the year:


1. Sleeping Beauties / Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King and Owen King
All women in the world fall into a deep sleep. In a small town and a women's prison in the Appalachians, it is decided whether they will return.
A prison psychiatrist is supposed to save an awake woman and thus the world.
I am a big fan of Stephen King, but this one is not his best. A great idea but the implementation is sketchy.
I like books with many pages and King is a master of thick books. With this book, I longed for the end to come

23drneutron
jan 10, 2018, 9:52 am

I've got this one on my list - maybe I'll prioritize other things. Longing for the end to come isn't a good sign. 😁

24PersephonesLibrary
jan 10, 2018, 1:25 pm

I was thinking about getting Sleeping Beauties but I hesitated because it felt like he wanted to help his son starting in the book business... It didn't feel like a real King - and your review keeps me from actually buying it. I have to catch up on his earlier books anyway.

25SirThomas
jan 12, 2018, 2:09 am

>23 drneutron: Yup.
Another sign - I bought the book 2017-11-13 and started reading it right away - almost 2 months reading time is extremely slow - for me and for a KING!

>24 PersephonesLibrary: It didn't feel like a real King This is right.
And there are definitely a lot of great King-books

26jainsonsindia
jan 12, 2018, 2:33 am

i am pretty new to this list but i loved reading about your experience. I too hope to have an unforgettable experience with you all.

http://jainsonsindia.com/

27SirThomas
jan 12, 2018, 4:03 am

>26 jainsonsindia: i am pretty new to this list but i loved reading about your experience. I too hope to have an unforgettable experience with you all.
The experience will be even better if you have books in your library and read yourself!
By the way, self-advertising is not very welcome here, Just leave out the link to your company's website.

28SirThomas
Bewerkt: jan 12, 2018, 4:23 am

But back to the books:


2. Deus Ex Machina by Ernst Wurdack
This little book contains 4 fine short stories:

Heidrun Jänchen: Vor dem Sturm
Capitalism on a newly discovered planet.
A terran entrepreneur looking for cheap labour for production and a terran geologist looking for mineral resources.
Who's doing the business?

Robert Kerber: Empfänger
A fine little story about telepathy.

Bernhard Brunner: Die verbesserte Universalfernbedienung
A very nice story about a smart home.
What happens if it's smarter than the resident?

Armin Rößler: Faust
And yet another alien planet. An emissary from Earth is no longer responding.
An inspector's trying to get him back to work, but he don't want to.
Psychological problems? Drugs? or something completely different?
A little bit disturbing, but very well written.


3. Pastetenlust by Pierre Emme
The beginning of a crime series set in Vienna.
Mario Palinski is afraid of exams, so he couldn't finish his studies and now he runs a database for literary murders. Then he finds the body of a well-known actor on a park bench in front of his window.
He starts to investigate and so begins a hunt through Vienna - among other things.
Quite funny, a bit exciting, nice written. Great for a holiday-reading.

29SirThomas
Bewerkt: jan 13, 2018, 9:05 am

And another one:


4. Die Morde des Herrn ABC / The A. B. C. murders by Agatha Christie
A book from 1936 but still fine.
Before Hercule Poirot can solve the case of a serial killer, he needs a lot of patience.
Crome, the inspector, and his colleagues are looking for the killer to find out his motive, Poirot is looking for the motive to find the killer.

30SirThomas
jan 13, 2018, 9:54 am

And now I was a bit unsure what to read next.
Therefore, I looked under "home \ born today" who of my authors has birthday today .
So I came to Daniel Kehlmann. I have very good memories of Die Vermessung der Welt, let's see how Ruhm develops.

31drneutron
jan 13, 2018, 3:45 pm

Oh, good idea for choosing your next.

32SirThomas
jan 15, 2018, 9:26 am

Yes, it's fun - and I did it again.
Today is the birthday of Robert Silverberg I chose a book he wrote with another author born in January: Isaac Asimov
Kind der Zeit has already started well.

33SirThomas
jan 19, 2018, 4:21 am

After a meeting far far away from internet it's time for the recent books:


5. Ruhm / Fame: A Novel in Nine Episodes by Daniel Kehlmann
Reality is overrated. 9 short stories intertwined with each other, partly surreal.
One protagonist talks to his author, another one notices that he is in a novel written by another protagonist.
What should I say - slightly exhausting, but great to read.


6. Unter Tränen gelacht by Bettina Tietjen
Bettina Tietjen describes how she and her father cope with his dementia.
The book is well written and can give hope to those affected.
Fate dementia is terrible, but there are also beautiful moments.
There is also quality of life if you are suffering from dementia. Not what one normally understands by it, but nevertheless real.
Much of what is described in the book I know from my own experience, my mother-in-law was also affected by it.
If you have accepted the situation and help is well organised, there can be a good time.

34SirThomas
Bewerkt: jan 30, 2018, 7:30 am

This is my second "birthday-book":


7. Kind der Zeit / Child of Time by Robert Silverberg and Isaac Asimov
Basis is the short story The Ugly Little Boy by Isaac Asimov from 1958.
The story is good, but the original is better, sometimes I had the feeling of chewing gum.
The story has 2 levels:
- A tribe of Neanderthals encounters Homo Sapiens - will there be a fight?
- A 5 year old child of the tribe is beamed into present time, A competent nurse takes care of him in a stasis field that he cannot leave.
Quiet nice, but a little bit old fashioned and to long.

The next one is a recommendation from the group. Paul Cranswick made me curious about The Debt to Pleasure, so i ordered it second hand.
The first few pages are very promising, I am looking forward to the whole book.
----------------------
edit: wrong number.

35PersephonesLibrary
jan 25, 2018, 3:10 pm

I am a bit scared to read Kehlmann again. I liked Die Vermessung der Welt but I have got the impression that he went a bit "over-the-top" afterwards. But your review makes me curious!

Have you read Der alte König in seinem Exil by Arno Geiger? It is a lovely, tender, heartwarming books about Geiger and his father. I will put Unter Tränen gelacht onto my reading list! And Asimov's original Story will go on it as well.

36SirThomas
jan 26, 2018, 11:47 am

I liked Die Vermessung der Welt too and I have one other book on my virtual shelve. Que serah....

Der alte König in seinem Exil is definitely on Mount TBR.
It will be one of my next books on my list.

But at the moment I am busy with Lanchester, the book is a little bit arduous to read, but worthwile.
For relaxation in between I have some short stories from Mr. Laymon.

37SirThomas
jan 30, 2018, 8:02 am

Laymon won the race


8.Furien / Fiends by Richard Laymon
13 creepy, thrilling, funny, varied stories.
A pleasure to read and you don't have to strain your head while reading.
You mustn't be bothered that everything is subordinated to the STORY.
So when a protagonist sometimes is acting strange, who cares?
The reading is fun.

38SirThomas
feb 2, 2018, 4:33 am

Time for some stats:
January:

Books read: 8
Pages read: 2,766 (longest 960 / shortest 105 / average 345)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Austria: 1
Germany: 6
UK: 1
USA: 5
I know, that this are more than 8, but some books had more than one author ;-)

Gender:
female authors: 3
male authors: 10

date first published:
20th century: 1936, 1991, 1996, 1997
21th century: 2005, 2009, 2015, 2017

39FAMeulstee
feb 2, 2018, 12:44 pm

>38 SirThomas: Nice stats, Thomas, on average you had very good readings in January.
And thanks for explaining the author numbers, I wondered already before reading the explanation ;-)

40SirThomas
feb 3, 2018, 5:34 am

>39 FAMeulstee: My pleasure.
I have thought about how to count the authors, as I often read several books by one author, should I count them twice?
So I decided to count all the authors, but only once.
There is no increase in numbers for the next book after the following - Laymon doesn't count for the second time

41SirThomas
feb 3, 2018, 5:39 am

Yesterday was the anniversary of death of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin - it's a good match that I finished a book yesterday that refers to him:


9.Die Lust und ihr Preis: Aufzeichnungen eines reisenden Gentleman / The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester
A suggestion from Paul Cranswick's blog - thanks a lot.

The book:
A cookbook?
yes, but it takes a while for the ingredients to merge into a tasty dish, some of the dishes are also described in a somewhat peculiar way:
for example: Mango sorbet: 1) Buy a Sorbetiere 2) Buy 2 mangos 3) Read instructions for use.
A biography?
yes, but you have to pay attention to the subordinate clauses at the beginning, they gradually reveal the narrator's depths.
Quote:" I myself never appreciated being called a "genius". It is fascinating to observe how quickly others have grasped this aversion intuitively and no longer used the term".
Can be interpreted as a subtle irony, or as megalomania, the reader's point of view changes in the course of the book.
A travelogue?
yes, especially in the construction of sentences - each sentence is a journey into the unknown, you start to walk and don't know where you end up.
The sentences are long, detailed and polished.
A crime story?
yes, but it will only become clearer and clearer in the course of the book.
Quote: "If the artist is the oyster, the killer is the pearl".

Very strenuous (in a positive sense) to read, nothing for in between. I needed a few short stories to recover in between ;-)
Initially I tended to *, later briefly to *******, overall ****

42SirThomas
feb 3, 2018, 5:43 am

This message is the answer to EVERYTHING!
Look at the number ;-)

43SirThomas
feb 5, 2018, 9:53 am

After the excursion to Douglas Adams and his solution for all problems of the world back to the main points.
The next book is from 1996 too, but this is all, what it has in common with the last book.


10.Vampirjäger / Bite by Richard Laymon
One night a teacher gets a visit from a girlfriend from his youth. She's asking him to kill a vampire for her.
He agrees right away, later, they meet a serial killer. A couple of siblings (really?) are also involved in the matter - but they are not innocent either.
Short sentences, yes, but no other development of the characters, they act sometimes completely implausible. In the short stories this didn't bother me so much, in a longer book extremely.
If it were a (Splatter-B-)movie, you wouldn't need commercial breaks to get a beer, you don't miss anything essential of the story in the meantime.

44drneutron
feb 5, 2018, 3:50 pm

I know I read Richard Laymon in my pre-LT days, but I'll be jiggered if I can remember which ones. I guess they were memorable, huh? :)

45SirThomas
feb 8, 2018, 9:10 am

They are certainly not suitable for an Alzheimer's test - quick in the brain - quick out of memory.
My version of Laymons alphabet:
Action
Blood
Chaos
D-cups or better no cups
...

46SirThomas
Bewerkt: feb 8, 2018, 9:27 am

Now from sledgehammer to rapier:


11. Das fehlende Glied in der Kette / The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
The first Hercule Poirot mystery.
Captain Hastings visits an old friend and meets Hercule Poirot again.
A murder happens, the killer is very intelligent, but Poirot is superior to him.
No action thriller, but very pleasant to read, even after the long time since the first release.

47mstrust
feb 8, 2018, 7:24 pm

That's a good one. Doesn't Poirot seem strange jumping all over the place? It appears Christie originally wrote him as a bit hyperactive. I'm currently reading Murder With Mirrors.

48SirThomas
feb 9, 2018, 5:11 am

Yes and he seems to be much younger in the following novels.
Perhaps Christie didn't had such a long series in mind when she wrote this book.

Murder With Mirrors - aah Miss Marple - another great novel character.
I think. I will give her a chance in one of my next readings.

49SirThomas
Bewerkt: feb 11, 2018, 3:46 am

And the next one:


12. Mord auf dem Golfplatz / The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie
Hercule Poirot in his second case.
He gets a letter from a man who feels threatened.
He rushes to his aid, but it's too late, Mr. Renauld is murdered before Poirot arrives.
Now he has to discover the murderer. But then there is a second corpse. Everyone has something to hide - even the faithful Hastings.
A quiet story with some unexpected twists and turns.
Again a pleasure to read - again.

50PersephonesLibrary
feb 11, 2018, 9:18 am

Enjoy your Sunday readings, Thomas!



51SirThomas
feb 12, 2018, 8:56 am

>50 PersephonesLibrary: Thank you Kathy, for the good wishes, the weather did invite to read, but there were other commitments, so the time for reading was a bit shorter.
But we also enjoyed the other things:
A lunch with the family - even those who are otherwise rarely seen were there.
And a small concert of a small band - to close the "Einkehrkirche".
For two weeks there was a lunch in an old church every day. Those who had little money paid 1,20 € for food and drinking, those who could and wanted to pay more were allowed to do so.

>35 PersephonesLibrary: Thank you very much for mentioning the following book.
I read it on a cloudy weekend and it was a ray of hope:


13. Der alte König in seinem Exil / TThe old king in his exile by Arno Geiger
Arno Geiger describes how his father drifts into dementia. At the same time, it is also a biography that describes the father's - not always easy - life. This also makes many of the father's behaviours easier to understand.
The book is very beautifully written, does not euphemise anything and yet contains many beautiful experiences.

Also in this book my own experiences are confirmed:
Yes, it's a terrible disease.
No, I don't want to fall ill with it.
YES, there is quality of life for the affected person and their relatives.
That is why it frightened me when I read in the newspaper this morning that the number of assisted suicides for dementia has risen in the Netherlands.

52SirThomas
feb 12, 2018, 9:11 am

Yesterday I also heard a beautiful saying from Hilde Domin.
It gives some confidence for the future:

Ich setzte den Fuß in die Luft und sie trug.
(I put my foot in the air and it carried.)

53SirThomas
Bewerkt: feb 15, 2018, 2:28 am

And now to something completely different.
Although, one thing is similar: brain damage.


14. The New Dead: Die Zombie-Anthologie / The New Dead: A Zombie Anthology by Christopher Golden (Editor)
This is a collection of Zombie-Stories, I liked the readng mostly a lot
The stories in detail:

„Lazarus“ - Lazerus by John Connolly
What actually happened to Lazarus after he was recalled by Jesus?

„Maisie“ - What Maisie Knew by David Liss
Zombies are used as workers, a man meets a zombie whose death he was responsible for.
He's trying to use every means at his disposal to prevent the whole thing from coming to light. It doesn't work out the way he thought it would.
He learns more about "life" than Zombie did when he wanted to.

„Copper“ - Copper by Stephen R. Bissette
A post-apocalyptic world, a man tries to protect himself from looters and gets unexpected help.

„Im Staub“ - In the Dust by Tim Lebbon
Another post-apocalyptic world. A few people are trying to survive, the military has sealed off the city.
But then the plague appears to be spreading.

„Zum Leben verurteilt“ - Life Sentence by Kelley Armstrong
A terminally ill millionaire tries everything to survive, even if he has to die for it.
He learns that forced loyalty is not always reliable.

„Delice“ - Delice by Holly Newstein
A "classic" vodoo novel from New Orleans.
A maltreated and killed slave is used to take revenge.
Very atmospheric.

„Der Wind ruft Mary“ -The Wind Cries Mary by Brian Keene
A man describes how his dead wife comes back every night and tries to get into the house.
But even he is no longer what he once was.

„Familienbetrieb" - Family Business by Jonathan Maberry
Another post-apocalyptic world. A man takes his little brother to show him why he kills.
The boy learns a lot and has to correct his world view several times.
A great novel about growing up.

„Der Zombie, der vom Himmel fiel“ - The Zombie Who Fell From the Sky by M. B. Homler
Experiments with a chemical agent go wrong.
A victim falls on the steeple of a small town and infects the inhabitants.
A barbecue chef tells us how he tries to survive.
No, it's not Odd Thomas - and the story isn't that good either.

„Dolly“ - My Dolly by Derek Nikitas
An ambulance driver is trying to "resuscitate" a newly dead girl he had frozen after death.
Not quite so good.

„Dritter Frühling“ - Second Wind by Mike Carey
A broker sees his death from heart attack coming and builds ahead.
His "life" in a self-built fortress is different from the past - or isn't it?

„Abschluss mit beschränkter Haftung“ - Closure, Limited by Max Brooks
A short story from a larger universe.
Artificial spaces are created to give survivors the opportunity to process what is happening.
This happens in a very special way. I probably don't have the background knowledge of the other books to enjoy the story.

„Unter uns“ - Among Us by Aimee Bender
Short fragments of zombie stories and the question of what is actually a zombie.
You get to think.

„Geisterreuse“ - Ghost Trap by Rick Hautala
A diver finds a corpse that seems to be completely intact.
He tries to find out the background and retrieve the corpse and encounters an epidemic that has already struck the city once before.
He is faced with a very difficult decision. Can he do it?
No splatter horror, but very frightening.

„Die Sturmtür“ - The Storm Door by Tad Williams
A parapsychologist accompanies a dying person on his way to death.
He notes that the door to the realm of the dead opens.
He's trying to warn the world.
A Lovecraft story - great.

„Kinder und ihre Spielsachen“ - Kids and Their Toys by James A. Moore
A group of children find a zombie and play with it.
The cruelty of the story does not arise from the viciousness of the living dead.
Memories of stories by Stephen King come alive.

„Rack ’n’ Break“ - Shooting Pool by Joe R. Lansdale
Pool billiards can be fatal and hard boys can meet tougher boys.
Great story, but where are the zombies?

„Die Geheimwaffe“ - Weaponized by David Wellington
Zombies are cheaper than robots and very good for use in warfare.
A journalist is endangered in her search for a revelation story.
A great action story.

„Twittern aus dem Zirkus der Toten“ - Twittering From the Circus of the Dead by Joe Hill
A zombie story in the form of Twitter news.
Creepy good.

54SirThomas
Bewerkt: feb 18, 2018, 3:57 am

Now to some more classic crime novels:


15. Grand Cru / The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker
The ingredients:
A policeman from the country, ex-elite soldier, wine connoisseur, cook, rugby trainer,....
A beautiful landscape
Delicious food
A Multinational wine group who wants to buy up the valley.
A couple of bodies.
Bruno's already doing it.
Beautifully written, the book makes you want to spend a holiday in the Perigord.


16. Schwarze Diamanten / Black Diamond by Martin Walker
Fraud in a truffle market.
A bestial murder.
War in the underworld between Chinese and Vietnamese.
...
Bruno's already doing it.
Still nice to read, but if Bruno Courrèges goes on like this, he needs a phone booth to change his clothes.

55PaulCranswick
feb 18, 2018, 12:35 pm

Dropping by to wish you a lovely Sunday, Thomas.

56SirThomas
feb 19, 2018, 1:45 am

Thank you Paul, it was a lovely Sunday, a long walk in the winter sun, tasty appetizer in the beach chair on the terrace.
Escaping the more and more cloudy weather with books.
Apart from too much everything expert, everithing knowing, everyone knowing, reading the Bruno books is still fun.


17. Delikatessen / The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker
Archaeologists find a corpse that isn't very old.
Animal welfare activists destroy the livelihoods of small farmers.
Ministers must be protected, ETA terrorists become active.
Superman Bruno is learning to ride and save them all.
A little bit too much...

57mstrust
feb 19, 2018, 11:20 am

>53 SirThomas: I have The New Dead on the shelf, so I'm glad to see your review. I'm trying to save mine for a Halloween read, but the Joe Hill story sounds so interesting.

58sirfurboy
feb 20, 2018, 5:11 am

I liked the review of Vampirjäger (can't find the right touchstone for this).

"If it were a (Splatter-B-)movie, you wouldn't need commercial breaks to get a beer, you don't miss anything essential of the story in the meantime." - that made me laugh.

The New Dead: A Zombie Anthology seems to cover the full spectrum of zombie stories... which is a wider spectrum then it ought to be, in my humble opinion :)

Although not sold on either of these, I wonder if you have any good young adult book recommendations for a German author? I think I could read young adult horror (or sci fi or fantasy) but not so sure about full adult works - mainly because of the length. I am looking for shorter German works to read.

59mstrust
feb 20, 2018, 11:40 am

I'm really sorry, but I don't read much YA and I've read even fewer German authors, just Durrenmatt, Suskind, Remarque... I do have a thing for children's scary books, what I term "horror lite", so R.L. Stine, John Bellairs. But I think this might not have the amount of tension you're looking for. I did read a funny vampire book that I recommend if you can find it in German, Fat Vampire, and then there's Breathers: A Zombie's Lament which is also a lot of fun.

60SirThomas
feb 21, 2018, 2:52 am

>57 mstrust: It is a long time to Halloween - and the Joe Hill story is worth to be read.
Have fun while waiting, Jennifer ;-).
I'm not sure I'd last that long.

>58 sirfurboy: Good Morning Stephen, I am happy when I have brought you some joy.
You're presenting me with quite a challenge, but here are some suggestions for you:

Andreas Eschbach writes very good books, but the best one are extensive, the genre is scifi and fantasy.
Short ones are Die seltene Gabe, Die Haarteppichknüpfer, Eine unberührte Welt - this one contains short stories.
Good longer ones are Das Jesus-Video, Eine Billion Dollar, Teufelsgold

Walter Moers has great fantasy-books located in a region named Zamonien, but the first ones of the series are probably too long. Die 13/2 Leben des Käpt'n Blaubär are great.
Wilde Reise durch die Nacht is not part of a series and pretty short, but not really ya.

Great fantasy books are from Cornelia Funke, I read Tintenherz and Tintenblut.

Another good fantasy author is Michael Ende - Die unendliche Geschichte and a shorter one
Momo oder die seltsame Geschichte von den Zeit-Dieben und von dem Kind, das den Menschen die gestohlene Zeit zurückbrachte.

In a caricature I saw another alternative - a book lover says to another:
You must read the books in Harry Rowohlt's translation.
They lose a lot in the original.

But I don't know wich books he translated, except the Jack Taylor series by Ken Bruen (great crime stories), some books by David Sedaris and FUP - great translation and great drawings.

Simultaneous I have started a request: Deutsche Bücher für junge Erwachsene you might have a look.

>59 mstrust: I like Patrick Süskind a lot I have two books Das Parfum (the better one) and Die Taube (the shorter one).
Friedrich Dürrenmatt is a wonderful author, too Der Richter und sein Henker and Die Physiker we had in school and I liked them then and now!
Your horror recommendations sound interesting - I will have a look.

61mstrust
Bewerkt: feb 21, 2018, 10:50 am

>60 SirThomas: Ha, I just now realized that I got "SirThomas" and "sirfurboy" confused, and when I answered >58 sirfurboy:, I thought I was replying to you. Sorry to jump in the middle, of course you would have more German recommendations than I!
Yes, The Physicists! I'd love to see that performed live.

62sirfurboy
feb 23, 2018, 2:12 pm

>60 SirThomas: Thanks for all those suggestions. I am looking at them all now, and will be adding some to my TBR.

I had forgotten about Cornelia Funke. I read some of her books in English - quite a lot of her works are available in translation - but now I am looking to see if I can find new works by her that I have not already seen.

I read Die unendliche Geschichte in English too. It did, of course, get a movie adaption many years ago.

Momo: oder Die seltsame Geschichte von den Zeit-Dieben und von dem Kind, das den Menschen die gestohlene Zeit zurückbrachte - That is quite a title! I had seen his too as an English translation, but just with the title "Momo". Had I seen the full German title I think I would have been more interested as it makes it sound like my kind of tale :)

Thanks again.

>61 mstrust: Not to worry, Jennifer. I guess our titles are a bit confusing :)

63SirThomas
feb 24, 2018, 7:31 am

Sorry for the delay, I am not permanent online.

>61 mstrust: No problem, Jennifer - every help for recommendations is welcome, and you brought me old treasures back in mind.
By the way - it's an honor to be mistaken for Stephen ;-).
Die Physiker live - I hope this one will be played in my neighbourhood soon.
If not:
1964 there was a movie in germany it is available on dvd, from 2014 is another dvd, a recording from the Schauspielhaus Zurich.

>62 sirfurboy: I'm glad I could help you out a little bit, Stephen.
By the way I like the word play with your member name - I needed your hint ot the Introductions thread to comprehend. Mine is a nickname from a long time ago.
Momo is from 1973, but in no way outdated. I hope you will enjoy the reading, but I am quite shure.

A nice weekend to all of you!

64SirThomas
feb 27, 2018, 2:21 am

Now it is time for the books:


18. Sommer des Lebens / Summertime by J. M. Coetzee
The book is an autobiography mainly told by interwiews with women who were part of his life.
The women's statements are not very complimentary, but it is not clear what is reality and what is fiction.
Often the reader learns more about the life of the interview partners than about Coetzee. But his picture gradually rounds off.
Well written and interesting to read.


19. Die Rückkehr des Lemming by Stefan Slupetzky
Slightly black humorous.
A woman is kidnapped in front of a tram driver.
He and his relative, a former policeman, former private detective and now a night watchman are on the trail.
The trail becomes bloody, at the end there is a happy ending. A few birds also play a role, the murders happen because of them.
Quite nice, a good for the holiday reading and quickly read.
2 Quotes:
Frustration is the only passenger who never gets out.
Hospitals are the airports of the cemeteries.

65SirThomas
Bewerkt: mrt 2, 2018, 5:00 am

Again a month is gone and ist is time for some stats:

February:

Books read: 11
Pages read: 3,471 (longest 450 / shortest 168 / average 315)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Austria: 1
Canada: 1
England: 4
Germany: 1
Ireland: 1
Scottland: 1
South Africa: 1
USA: 16
I know, that this are more than 11, but some books had more than one author - and some authors have several books in the list ;-)

Gender:
female authors: 3
male authors: 23

date first published:
20th century: 1920, 1923, 1996 (2 books)
21th century: 2009 (2 books), 2010 (2 books), 2011 (2 books), 2017.

ETA: I forgot an author, so I had to correct the statistic.

66SirThomas
mrt 2, 2018, 4:48 am

And the first book of March:


20. Das Puppenhaus / Small World by Tabitha King
This book I found in a public bookcase in the railway station. it is part of an omnibus.
I started with the first one - Die Seelen-Wächter and stopped after a few pages - I didn't like it.
I can not give you an exact reason - I just did not feel well, so this one does not appear on my list.
Das Puppenhaus started better. A mad scientist invents a minimizer, a crazy rich woman uses him to take revenge and populate her miniature houses.
The idea of the book is good, but not the implementation. It may be a bit too much to expect to be close to reality in a horror novel, but some things just were not believable.
Especially some actions of people.
I also missed the atmosphere - maybe I expect too much. The author is a King, but not the KING.
The book is back in the public bookcase.

67SirThomas
mrt 11, 2018, 4:46 am

After a week with little time to read I finished again a book:

21. Die Einkreisung / The Alienist by Caleb Carr
The psychiatrist Dr. Lazlo Kreizler and his friends (Theodore Roosevelt is one of them, the first woman at the police, former patients, a journalist, some policemen are among them, too) are on the hunt for a serial killer in New York. They have no help from anyone, but Kreizler is a genius and uses in the year 1896 the technique of profiling. Thrilling, interesting and a pleasure to read

68sirfurboy
mrt 14, 2018, 6:07 am

>67 SirThomas: I read that a few weeks ago too. It was indeed a very good book.

I also read a non fiction history of a Victorian crime recently and was interested to see that they really did have alienists at the time.

69SirThomas
mrt 15, 2018, 4:03 am

>68 sirfurboy: Thank you vor the information, the book was very atmospheric and I had the feeling, very well researched.
So you have confirmed that feeling to me.
The stimulus to read the book, came from the group, I think it was your review, that made me curious.
So thank you again for the reading pleasure!

70SirThomas
Bewerkt: mrt 24, 2018, 2:03 pm

At the moment, we are on holiday in the north of Germany.
Clouds, rain, wind, snow - great - reading weather.
But there is no bad weather, there is only inapproriate clothing, as they say here :-).
We are every day outside and we enjoy these days and our three combat: walking, eating, reading:

22. Macht by Karen Duve

Another inspiration of this great group, years ago, this year I found it in our public library.
It is a dystopia a short time in the future, climate is crazy, politics too. Gloom and doom. A man, all men are suppressed, has locked his wife in the basement to finally have some power again. Then he falls in love with a childhood friend. He tries to organize his life, but it gets more and more chaotic. A nice game with power and powerlessness.
It is frightening that the described world could easily become reality.


23. Vorhang /Curtain by Agatha Christie
A melancholic story about Poirots last case. Back in Styles, the location of their first case, Poirot and Hastings are on the hunt again. But this murderer is completely different from others and Poirot must do something what he doesn't want to.
I love the Agatha Christie books.


24. Unheil über der Stadt / Phantoms by Dean Koontz
The german subtitle is - a zombie novel - but where are the zombies? I think the brain dead who imagined the subtitle!
The story is about a doctor and her little sister who come back in a little town and all citizens are vanished. Then the fight against a creepy intelligence begins.
Frightening and well written, the good are a little too good, the bad a little bit too bad, but the story is great.

ETA: Cover was not viewable

71sirfurboy
mrt 15, 2018, 7:45 am

>69 SirThomas: Oh well if you found the book on my thread, I am doubly glad you liked it.

72SirThomas
Bewerkt: mrt 24, 2018, 2:04 pm

>71 sirfurboy: you are welcome, I am very happy to be part of this group and meet people like you.

>70 SirThomas: I forgot an important thing - today is the first day with sun!


ETA: Picture was not viewable

73mstrust
mrt 15, 2018, 11:46 am

Enjoy your holiday! Clouds, rain, eating and reading- sounds good!

74SirThomas
mrt 18, 2018, 4:37 am

Thank you, Jennifer, we do!
The last days we had sun, it is stormy, but the air is great. We love it.
Yesterday we cooked on our own - north sea crabs with scrambled eggs and bread - simple but yummy.

The only thing you have to mind is to buy them at the right place.
Normally the crabs are fished in the north sea, then they get preserved and driven to Morocco for peeling.
Then they are sold nearby the place they used to live.
Fresh peeled crabs from the fisherman are so much better.

75SirThomas
mrt 18, 2018, 5:03 am

Now it is time again for books:

25. Schwarze Brandung by Sabine Weiß
A very athmospheric thriller from Sylt, I found it in the holiday home. Thrilling, well researched with protagonists who are not only shadow pictures. Liv Lammers has to catch a murderer and has to deal with her past on the island.


26. Ich bin nicht alt, nur schon sehr lange jung by Alexandra Reinwarth
When you get older you will become more relaxed. Ok it is true, but du I need a whole book for this insight? Some parts are quiet funny - I will leave the book in the holiday home, perhaps one of the next guests will enjoy it more.

76Ameise1
mrt 18, 2018, 5:52 am

Happy Sunday, Thomas. I found your thread and find that you have a wide-ranging reading taste. Some authors have already been read, others not. In any case, I put a star.

77SirThomas
mrt 19, 2018, 3:36 am

Thank you, I like to try something new sometimes.
A lot of suggestions are from this gorgeous group.

78SirThomas
Bewerkt: mrt 24, 2018, 2:05 pm


27. Mit Kant-Zitaten zum Orgasmus by Moritz Netenjakob
Funny little stories about Germany and the germans.
The author is a comedian and the stories have been part of his program.
Sometimes reading was like a look in a mirror - a little bit blurred.


28. Schuld by Ferdinand von Schirach

The author is defense attorney and he tells about funny and crazy cases. Easy to read for in between.

ETA: Cover was not viewable

79SirThomas
mrt 24, 2018, 2:09 pm

The holidays are over, and it's nice to be home again.
I created the last posts with the tablet, unfortunately some covers and pictures were probably not displayed correctly.
I fixed this in >70 SirThomas: >72 SirThomas: >78 SirThomas:.

80FAMeulstee
Bewerkt: mrt 24, 2018, 3:52 pm

>72 SirThomas: Thank you for making that picture viewable, Thomas, as it is a beautiful picture. So nice with the sun on the left side lightning up the sea and the beach, and overcast on the right side.

81SirThomas
mrt 25, 2018, 12:11 pm

Thank you, Anita, I'm glad you like the picture.
It was even more beautiful to se it live ;-).

It's a bit strange, everything was easily visible on the tablet.
But when I looked at the thread at home at the PC, the picture and some covers were gone.

82SirThomas
mrt 29, 2018, 7:09 am

Back to the books:


29. Du bist tot / Halting State by Charles Stross
A break-in into a bank needs to be cleared up.
But the bank is in a computer game, so a game developer is involved in the investigation.
Nothing is what it seems, there are many unexpected twists and turns.
Reading the book is like playing an action-game.


30. Unter allen Beeten ist Ruh by Auerbach & Keller
Pippa Bolle needs peace and quiet to do her translation work.
That's why she keeps a cottage in an allotment garden colony.
But there it is not quiet at all, soon there arethe first dead.
Scurrilous, Humorous, Exciting.

83SirThomas
mrt 30, 2018, 3:58 am

And more books, both I finished yesterday:


31. Dangerous Davies, der letzte Detektiv / Dangerous Davies, Last Detective by Leslie Thomas
A slapstick crime story. An incompetent policeman should scare up a criminal.
He wants to solve an old murder, thereby gets beaten up over and over again.
Nice to read.


32. Ein Pfeil vom Himmel by Gilbert Keith Chesterton
Six Father Brown stories - it's always a pleasure to read them.
This is another birthday-book - when I finished Dangerous Davies, I looked under "home \ born today" and found Chesterton.
And again it was a good choice.

84SirThomas
mrt 31, 2018, 5:15 am


Happy Easter to all of you!

85SirThomas
apr 1, 2018, 9:11 am

Again a month is gone and ist is time for some stats:

March:

Books read: 13
Pages read: 4,218 (longest 588 / shortest 126 / average 324)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
England: 4
Germany: 7
USA: 3
I know, that this are more than 13, but some books had more than one author.

Gender:
female authors: 7
male authors: 7

date first published:
20th century: 1926, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1994.
21th century: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017(2 books).

86SirThomas
apr 1, 2018, 9:54 am

It is a little bit stormy and raining, so I did a little bit virtual Egg Hunt.
Thaks to the LT-team for running this easter pleasure, it was a lot of fun.
And thanks for the clues on Talk, as a non-native speaker I would not have found everything.
But now it is time for some tea and then it will be reading time again.

87FAMeulstee
apr 2, 2018, 7:11 am

>86 SirThomas: I had fun with the egg-hunt too :-)
I never participated in such an event before, but I accidentally found an egg when I was looking up a book. Then I kept going, and with the clues on Talk I found the remaining eggs.

88mstrust
apr 2, 2018, 4:07 pm

I did the hunt too, and it was fun. I'd never done any of the hunts before but it became a bit addictive.
I hope you had a good Easter!

89SirThomas
apr 4, 2018, 4:18 am

>87 FAMeulstee: It was my first hunt, too. I saw it at the Top News and followed the link.
First I was a little bit confused, but then I found some clues on talk and the fun began.

>88 mstrust: Yes, after a bumpy start I could not stop before I had found the eggs.
My Easter was fine, thank you. It was varied as the weather.
Sunny times to go on a long walk and to sit on the balkony with friends.
Rainy times to read and tu hunt for virtual eggs.
I hope you enjoyed your Easter too.

90SirThomas
apr 10, 2018, 2:11 am

And now the stats for the first 3 mionths:

First quarter:

Books read: 32
Pages read: 10,455 (longest 960 / shortest 105 / average 327)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Austria: 2
Canada: 1
England: 7
Germany: 14
Ireland: 1
Scottland: 1
South Africa: 1
USA: 23
I know, that this are more than 13, but some books had more than one author.

Gender:
female authors: 38
male authors: 12

date first published:
20th century: 1920, 1923, 1926, 1936, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1994, 1992 (2 books), 1997.
21th century: 2005 (2 books), 2007, 2009 (4 books), 2010 (2 books), 2011 (3 books), 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 (4 books).

91SirThomas
apr 10, 2018, 4:28 am

The first books of April:


33. Exit / Devil's Waltz by Jonathan Kellerman
The psychiatrist Alex Delaware is supposed to help a child who is always seriously ill.
In doing so, he gets on the trail of a conspiracy.
Suspenseful and good to read, but not more.


34. Priester und Detektiv by Gilbert Keith Chesterton
Another bunch of Father Brown stories - it's always a pleasure to read them.


35. Menschenskind! / Manalive by Gilbert Keith Chesterton
A story about an unconventional man accused in an unconventional court of law.
A game with reality - Every witness tells the truth, but every statement is only a part of the actual deeds.
In the end, everyone involved is happy and in part purified.
Nice to read, but a little bit overtwisted.

92SirThomas
apr 10, 2018, 4:31 am

By the way to the term reality I have heard a fine saying:

Reality is an illusion caused by the absence of alcohol.

93drneutron
apr 10, 2018, 1:07 pm

>92 SirThomas: I concur!

94SirThomas
apr 15, 2018, 3:34 am

But the best way to play with reality is books! - and you are feeling much better the next morning! ;-)
Books are powerful. Books are wonderful. Books are dangerous.
The next three books also play with reality.
They also play in a world of books.


36. Die Seiten der Welt by Kai Meyer
The 15-year-old Furia lives in seclusion on an English estate with her brother Pip and their father Tiberius. Furia comes from a powerful family that had to flee Germany 200 years ago and has been hiding ever since. Tiberius Fairfax is a bibliomancer, he possesses the magic of books and Furia has inherited his gift.
But her little world is in danger and she's off to save her friends and her little brother.


37. Nachtland by Kai Meyer
Furia gets support from a group of rebels.
Slowly her bibliomantic power awakens.


38. Blutbuch by Kai Meyer
The world of books is in danger, it is threatened by ideas.
Furia finds unexpected allies.
A great end to the series.

I love the ideas of the magic of books, the idea of exlibris - novel characters who have fallen out of a book and now have to cope with reality.
There are good and bad, but they're not clichéd. When a person is considered deeply evil, (s)he surprises you with good deeds.
But the surprise is not a break, it fits this person.

>58 sirfurboy: I discovered these books because of your question - thank you very much for it.
All three books have more than 500 pages and do not quite meet your requirements of shorter German works.
But I can highly recommend them.
The length was not noticeable at all when I was reading them.

95PaulCranswick
apr 21, 2018, 11:09 am

Not heard of Kai Meyer, Thomas, but he certainly seems to have hit the spot with you.

Have a great weekend.

96SirThomas
apr 30, 2018, 4:55 am

Thank you for the good wishes, the weekend was fine with sun and barbecue.
Afterwards I got problems with a cold.
Then there were other things to do...
But now it is all ok again and I am back with books and LT.

I hadn't known Kai Meyer either, the tip came in connection with LT and this gorgeous group.
It was a great experience for me to discover an unknown world and an unknown author. I think I will read more books by him.
These books are intended for young adults, but I love them - so I guess that's a sign that I'm still young ;-).

97SirThomas
apr 30, 2018, 5:25 am

Now back to the books:


39. Und das Leben geht doch weiter by Martin Kreuels
An autobiography, the wife of Martin Kreuels died from cancer. The book describes her struggle and after her death, how he tries to get along with the children. This is the second edition and comprises 6 further years.
The reader learns a lot about dealing with illness and death, but the writing style was not quite my thing.

Now to some light fare - good to read with head ache and blocked nose


40. Kreuzstich, Bienenstich, Herzstich by Tatjana Kruse
A retired commissioner who discovered embroidery as a hobby.
He alone finds the connection between different dead men. Is there a serial killer in Schwäbisch Hall?
A lot of slapstick and local color.
I know the town, so reading it was even more fun.


41. Nadel, Faden, Hackebeil by Tatjana Kruse
Commissioner Seifferheld investigates the murder of a politician and puts his foot in his mouth.


42. Finger, Hut und Teufelsbrut by Tatjana Kruse
2 kidnappings in Schwäbisch Hall. Commissioner Seifferheld is investigating again.
He has relationship problems again, so does his family.
The third book in a row is a little too much slapstick at once.

98SirThomas
mei 2, 2018, 5:24 am

The last book in April:


43. Alles im Griff by Martin Suter
Stories from the fight for survival in the jungle of the mid-level management.
The book is a summary of newspaper columns. Short and fast to read, but I had to fight to get through to the end.

99SirThomas
mei 2, 2018, 5:25 am

And now it is time again for stats:

April:

Books read: 8
Pages read: 2,979 (longest 592 / shortest 123 / average 372)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Germany: 3
Switzerland: 1

I know, that this are less than 8, but there are some books written by the same author.

Gender:
female authors: 1
male authors: 3

date first published:
21th century: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 (2 books), 2015, 2016 (2 books).

100PaulCranswick
mei 6, 2018, 8:51 am

Happy Sunday, Thomas!

101SirThomas
mei 17, 2018, 4:29 am

A (very) late thank you, Paul, the last two sundays were beautiful - barbecue with neighbours and pottery market. We bought some nice decorative pieces.
Unfortunately I got a cold again, but I feel a little better again.

102SirThomas
Bewerkt: mei 17, 2018, 10:49 am

And the first books of May:


44. Totensonntag by Andreas Föhr
A story about a murder while World War II, police inspector Wallner finds the body of a woman who was murdered 50 years ago.
Another murder is taking place during the investigation.
He the always correct policeman is supported by his colleague Kreuthner who does not always obey the law. This results in funny moments.
It is the 5th book in the series, but the story tells the first case of the young inspector Wallner.
Nice.


45. Karwoche by Andreas Föhr
Kreuthner drives an illegal race with a buddy and gets caught by Wallner. To relieve himself, he protects a check on the other car and finds a corpse.
The daughter recently died in an acting family. It was apparently an accident, is this murder connected to it?
Again funny and overexcited.


46. Der Gentleman mit der Feuerhand / Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
A skeleton as a detective, a young girl who wants to support him and learn magic.
A magic world hidden in our world.
Very nice to read.


47. Schwarze Piste by Andreas Föhr
Kreuthner scatteres his uncle's ashes on a ski slope and hits a woman. When he takes him down the road, they find a body.
When he later makes a guided tour with the Housewives' Association to the site of the find, another corpse is sitting there in the same position.
As part of the investigation, an old blackmail comes to light, do the cases have something to do with each other?
Funny and suspenseful.

103SirThomas
Bewerkt: mei 18, 2018, 3:30 am

and the next one:


48. Der Schrei des Eisvogels / Pictures of Perfection by Reginald Hill
A policeman has disappeared.
Sergeant Wield, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Pascoe and Andy Dalziel are looking for him.
An idyllic village, but the idyll is deceptive, the villagers are more than they appear.
Was the policeman murdered? Or was it completely different?
In this book Sergeant Wield plays the leading role and he also experiences remarkable things in his private life.
I love that series.

104SirThomas
mei 17, 2018, 11:04 am

I'm starting to feel better, so today I walked to the pharmacy and got some medicine.
However, I also had a good motivation.
The new book of one of my favorite authors Matt Ruff, Lovecraft Country finally arrived in German language. That's the way I stopped by the bookstore.
Now it stands on the shelf and waits until I have read out the current book.
The anticipation is great and I enjoy it.

105SirThomas
mei 18, 2018, 3:17 am

Yesterday we set up our purchases from the pottery market.
This morning I took a picture with blue sky and sun:

106mstrust
mei 19, 2018, 11:36 am

I'm glad you're feeling better, or at least well enough to get to the bookstore ;-)

107SirThomas
mei 20, 2018, 1:29 am

Never underestimate the healing power of a bookstore ;-).

108SirThomas
Bewerkt: mei 23, 2018, 4:09 am

And the next ones:


49. Wenn Männer trauern: Über den Umgang mit Abschied und Verlust by Wolfgang Müller-Commichau and Roland Schaefer
A book about how men deal with grief.
The first half of the book contains case studies, in the second part there are more explanations.
Men are more displacing, they are looking for distraction. But dealing with grief can be learned by supporting mourners.
(as it is said in another book: BE THERE)
Talking helps, social contacts are helping, (self-chosen) rituals are helping, mourning together, not alone is helping.
Allow the mourning, do not try to displace it, answer the questions of children.

Crises can also be helpful in causing your own growth.
But this helps only with a lag.

For Friends:
Comforting listening is very helpful.
For your life:
Always be aware that there may be loss, but enjoy the now.

Although the book refers to the grief of men, the aids are gender independent.
There is help and suggestions for dealing with grief and mourners.


50. Der Wald des Vergessens / The Wood Beyond by Reginald Hill
A group of animal rights activists, an old corpse.
Memories of the First World War.
Everything is connected - Dalziel and Pascoe in top form.


51. Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff
A story about a black family in the 50's, a story about racism, a story about magic, a story about foreign planets, a story about friendship, a story about....
I love the books of Matt Ruff and it is hard that he writes so slowly.

109FAMeulstee
mei 24, 2018, 4:56 pm

>107 SirThomas: Not only bookstores, Thomas.
I always feel a bit better when I am surrounded by books, at home, in the library and in bookstores.

110SirThomas
mei 28, 2018, 5:11 am

>109 FAMeulstee: You are so right!
And this is the reason why I like to read ebooks in many situations (for example on holiday - there is more space in the suitcase for other things), but I will never give up my paper-books.
As I said in my last year thread:

But there are several reasons for paper books:

  • Call me old-fashioned, but I love to touch a book, to turn over the pages. Reading a paper book is a completely different feeling than reading an e-reader.

  • I like to read in the bathtub, if an old paperback falls into the water, the damage is relatively small.

  • A paper book is easier to lend to a friend.

  • A filled bookcase looks much better than a small electronic box.

  • Often I stand in front of the bookcase and look at the back of the books and enjoy the sight. Then I decide what I will read next (again).

  • There are no price reduced ebooks on rummage tables.

  • ...

111SirThomas
mei 28, 2018, 5:14 am

time for an update:


52. Die Kunst des klaren Denkens by Rolf Dobelli
My Book 52 contains 52 errors in reasoning with demonstrative examples.
When you have read this book you will make the same errors than before, but you know why you did it.
It is worth to be read and to think about it. And it is possble that you avoid the one ore the other error.


53. Das Dorf der verschwundenen Kinder / On Beulah Height by Reginald Hill
A child is missing, something like this happened before years ago. Dalziel and Pascoe could not solve the case.
Does the old series of children murders start again?
Another great story, written in an atmospheric and gripping way.

112SirThomas
jun 1, 2018, 10:58 am

the next update:


54. Sterbefasten. Freiwilliger Verzicht auf Nahrung und Flüssigkeit by Christiane zur Nieden
The author describes how her mother wanted to die because she was old and replete of life.
So she stopped eating and drinking and died in companion of her family.
The first part is a biography of the dying process beginning with her decision, the second part contains a lot of help for those who are concerned with the topic. Not only for relatives, but also for those who are willing to die. They also bring worries for the family through their decision.
In my current situation I think, this will be not my way, but who knows what will come?
Sven Gottschling and Lars Amend are saying in their book Leben bis zuletzt:
"The dying man does not die because he doesn't eat, he doesn't eat because he dies." this corresponds more to my opinion, but the limits are fluid.
Both books are worth to be read!


55. Das Haus an der Klippe / Arms and the Women by Reginald Hill
Dalziel and Pascoe are dealing with the IRA, colombian rebels, drug smugglers, secret services, hijackers, wiomen power,...
Pascoes wife gets in danger, she writes a story that plays a role in the book. There is an (at first) unknown first-person narrator.
The highlight is a house that is in danger of being devoured by the sea.
Nice to read, but this one contains a little bit too much of all...


56. Der Spezialist / Legacies by F Paul Wilson
A woman is threatened and turns to Handyman Jack.
He is a loner, but he is fit in all areas.
Sometimes McGyver would be jealous -).
He also helps her to overcome a childhood trauma.
Exciting and fast to read, only the resolution is not quite conclusive.
The invention the criminals are looking for may be great, but it may be difficult to market in practice.
But this does not detract from the joy of reading.

113SirThomas
jun 6, 2018, 7:27 am

And the stats for May:

Books read: 13
Pages read: 5,350 (longest 640 / shortest 144 / average 411)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Germany: 4
USA: 2
Switzerland: 1
England: 1
Ireland: 1

I know, that this are less than 13, but there are some books written by the same author.

Gender:
female authors: 1
male authors: 8

date first published:
21th century: 1994, 1995, 1998 (2 books), 1999, 2000, 2007, 2011, 2012 (2 books), 2013, 2016 (2 books).

114mstrust
jun 6, 2018, 6:55 pm

115SirThomas
jul 6, 2018, 4:15 am

Where's June?
My God, I've lost a whole month!

116SirThomas
jul 6, 2018, 4:16 am

OK, let's try to fill that gap:


57. Wenn guten Menschen Böses widerfährt / When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold S. Kushner
The author lost his son to a serious illness.
In this book he describes how he nevertheless did not lose faith in God.
Kushner does not ask how God can allow evil to happen in the world, he says that God is not almighty and cannot prevent evil because he has given man free will.
Sickness and misfortune are therefore never God's punishment.
The book is thought-provoking and can be very helpful.
But I couldn't find the right access to the book.


58. Kluftinger by Volker Klüpfel and Michael Kobr
The most important thing of the book:
The reader discovers the first name of Commissioner Kluftinger!
A new case, this time with many flashbacks into the early days of Commissioner Kluftinger.
Nice to read, but hardly any new ideas, except that there is a cliffhanger at the end of the book :-(.
For fans ok.


59. Dhalgren / Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany
A man without a name comes to a destroyed city, joins a gang and leaves again.
The description is a little short for 1011 pages of reading pleasure - but read it yourself, it's worth it.
A great play with reality, poetry and life


60. Die schwarze Feder / Darkness Under the Sun by Dean Koontz

61. Der Rabenmann / What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz
A short story and a book about a serial killer and a cop on the hunt.
Suspense, horror, reading pleasure.

So a long month and a short list of books, may July will be better.

117SirThomas
Bewerkt: jul 6, 2018, 4:51 am

And the stats for June:

Books read: 5
Pages read: 2,182 (longest 1,011 / shortest 71 / average 436)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Germany: 2
USA: 3

This time, the count is correct, but there is one book by 2 authors and 2 books by the same author ;-).

Gender:
female authors: 0
male authors: 5

date first published:
20th century: 1975, 1981.
21th century: 2010 (2 books), 2018.

118SirThomas
Bewerkt: jul 6, 2018, 4:54 am

And the half-year-stat:

Books read: 61
Pages read: 21,928 (longest 1,011 / shortest 71 / average 359)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Austria: 2
Canada: 1
England: 8
Germany: 23
Ireland: 2
Scottland: 1
South Africa: 1
Switzerland: 2
USA: 28

I know, that this are more than 61, but some books had more than one author.

Gender:
female authors: 14
male authors: 54

date first published:
20th century: 1912; 1920; 1923; 1926; 1936; 1975 (2 books), 1981 (2 books), 1983, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1994 (2 books), 1995, 1996 (2 books), 1997, 1998 (2 books), 1999
21th century: 2000, 2005 (2 books), 2007 (2 books), 2009 (5 books), 2010 (4 books), 2011 (5 books), 2012 (3 books), 2013, 2014 (3 books), 2015 (2 books), 2016 (5 books), 2017 (4 books), 2018.

119FAMeulstee
jul 7, 2018, 9:07 am

>118 SirThomas: You have read a wide range of books, Thomas, both in nationalities as in first publishing dates.

120SirThomas
jul 21, 2018, 10:58 am

Yes, I like to read different things and I also like to be surprised.
Every era, every country and every genre has it's good books.
A lot of valuable tips I get from this georgeous group.

And again two weeks are gone - I seem to be a sloth.

My neighbor gave us a nice book when he cleaned his bookcase:
Yoga für Tiere
My wife and I do yoga, in the following a suitable excerpt for me:

121SirThomas
jul 21, 2018, 12:12 pm

I wasn't completely lazy, there are a few books to mention:


62. Der Freund der Toten / Himself by Jess Kidd
A man comes back to the town where his mother lived.
He grew up in an orphanage, now he wants to know why and how she disappeared.
He gets support from an old actress and discovers many things that should not be discovered.
The fact that he is accompanied by the dead, which only he sees, does not bother him much.
A little bit strange but nice to read

And now to some re-reads:

63. Verblendung / The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

64. Verdammnis / The Girl Who Played with Fire Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

65. Vergebung / The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
What should I say?
Read it!

And a nice gift:

66. Yoga für Tiere by Klaus Puth
A short book with great illustrations about yoga - I love it.
See the picture above.

The next re-read:

67. Machine of Death / Machine of Death by Ryan North
Stories about a machine that tells you how you will die - but not when - and sometimes not very clear.
Great to read again!

122FAMeulstee
jul 21, 2018, 6:00 pm

>120 SirThomas: I don't do yoga, Thomas, I might get into it in my next life as sloth ;-)

>121 SirThomas: One day I will treat myself on reading Stieg Larssons books.

123SirThomas
jul 22, 2018, 4:24 am

Yoga is a great thing, we do hatha yoga whitch means relaxation exercises, stretching-Exercises and breathing exercises.
The stretching part is good for muscles and tendons, especially for people like me - sitting in front of a Monitor at work.
The breathing part is very helpful in stressful situations, I'll go inside for a moment, I breathe deeply into the stomach and am much calmer.
And I learned to listen to my body, so it is good for health in many ways.

The Stieg Larsson books are worth to be read and to be read and....
There are now two sequels of David Lagercrantz.
But I haven't dared to read them yet - I don't want to destroy the magic.

124SirThomas
aug 5, 2018, 10:04 am

And again time is running and I am late.
It is too hot to doo anything but a little reading.
The rest of July:


68. Sternwanderer / Stardust by Neil Gaiman
And I am again too late - One LibraryThing, One Book.
A boy in love tries to find a fallen star for his girl.
But the star is completely different than he thought.
So he has has many adventures, grows up and finds his destiny.
A nice fairy tale, but not really mine.


69. 999 Festmahl des Grauens / 999: Twenty-nine Original Tales of Horror and Suspense by Al Sarrantonio
Again a re-read, a bunch of very good horror stories.


70. Im Kreis der Verschwörer / Conspiracies (Repairman Jack) by F. Paul Wilson
Another suspenseful story about repairman jack, this time the story is heading to Lovecraft.
Nice to read, but a little bit too much occult.
I like this genry, but in this book the twist doesn't work for me.

125SirThomas
aug 5, 2018, 10:53 am

And the July-stats:

Books read: 9
Pages read: 4,974 (longest 864 / shortest 48 / average 553)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Argentina: 1
Canada: 5
England: 8
Germany: 2
Sweden: 4
USA: 52

I know, that this are more than 9, but some books had more than one author.

Gender:
female authors: 10
male authors: 62

date first published:
20th century: 1999 (2 books).
21th century: 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010 (2 books), 2016

126SirThomas
aug 8, 2018, 4:27 am

Now to the first book of August:


71. Und dann steht einer auf und öffnet das Fenster by Susann Pasztor
Karla is dying of cancer, Fred is a volunteer companion from the hospice, Phil is his a little bit nerdy son.
Because Karla is his first client, Fred is very nervous. At first there are big differences, but then they find a way to deal with the situation
The book is heartwarming and -despite the subject- life affirming.
You could say that it's a little too much that Karla is a big fan of Grateful Dead (aka Deadhead), but I don't think so. It fits the book very well.
The book is beautifully written, great to read and makes you think. Nevertheless, it is in no way depressing.

127SirThomas
aug 10, 2018, 2:31 am

After reading this book I decided to update my list of best books . see >3 SirThomas: A BOOK A YEAR FOR THE FIRST 55 YEARS OF MY LIFE

...
2010 Raum / Room by Emma Donoghue
2011 5 Dinge, die Sterbende am meisten bereuen / The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware
2012 Glaube der Lüge / Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George
2013 Das Dickicht / The Thicket by Joe R. Lansdale
2014 Der Seidenspinner / The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
2014 Die Seiten der Welt by Kai Meyer
2015 Opferweg / Saint Odd by Dean Koontz
2016 Leben bis zuletzt by Sven Gottschling
2017 Und dann steht einer auf und öffnet das Fenster by Susann Pasztor
2018 Lovecraft Country / Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

OKOkok - now there are more than 55 years, but this date I will update next year ;-).

128SirThomas
aug 10, 2018, 3:57 am

And more books of August:


72. Die rätselhaften Worte / Dialogues of the Dead by Reginald Hill
Dalziel and Pascoe on the hunt for a serial killer.
After the deed, the killer sends mysterious messages with word games.
Again a pleasure to read.


73. Vorübergehend tot / Dead Until Dark by Harris, Charlaine
The adventures of a supernaturally gifted barbecue attendant.
No it is not Odd Thomas, it is Sookie Stackhouse and she doesn't see dead people, she is a telepath.
She sees this as a disability, not as a gift.
Until she meets a vampire whose mind she can't read.
She falls in love with him and passes various adventures.
Not as deep as Dean Koontz, but great to read.
The book and the leading lady doesn't take herself so seriously, which makes it even more worth reading.


74. Untot in Dallas / Living Dead in Dallas by Harris, Charlaine
Sookie and her undead friend Bill are travelling to Dallas to help his Boss with his problems.
There she discovers that there are other supernatural creatures...
Funny, bloody, great to read.

129mstrust
aug 10, 2018, 11:43 am

Hi Thomas! You've been reading some authors I keep meaning to get to, like Reginald Hill and Sarrantonio, and I keep meaning to continue with Larsson's, as they're sitting there on my shelf. I tried Charlaine Harris a while ago, and while I did care for her style, my sister loves everything she puts out.

130SirThomas
aug 11, 2018, 1:28 pm

>129 mstrust: Hi Jennifer!
Good books have many friends, I am glad that you share my taste in several books.
You will not regret reading the Larsson books, they were still a pleasure on the third run. I don't think this won't be the last round either. But now I travel to other beautiful books.

To Charlaine Harris - we had the last weeks temperatures up to to 34°C /93°F - weather for pantywaist zombies who like their brain meal well done :-).
If you can't cocentrate on a challenging book, the true blood books are the right stuff. Today I finished the third part of the series - In contrast to Reginald Hill, the reading pleasure decreases a little bit from book to book.
But it's still nice to read - light food for in between.

131FAMeulstee
aug 11, 2018, 6:30 pm

>130 SirThomas: So you finished book 75, Thomas, congratulations!

We got finally a break from the 30+ weather and some much needed rain :-)

132SirThomas
aug 12, 2018, 3:38 am

>131 FAMeulstee: Thank you Anita, it's always a pleasure when performance is recognized. Even if I can't keep up with you ;-).
The cooling is good, we had some rain too, but much too little.
At Monday / Tuesday it is a possibility for rain - let's hope for the best.

133SirThomas
aug 12, 2018, 4:02 am

And now to the books:


75. Von der Kunst, schlechte Nachrichten gut zu überbringen by Jalid Sehouli
The author is Head Physician for Gynaecology and describes how important it is to bring bad news in a good way.
The book is important for doctors, patients and escorts. Beautifully written and easy to understand.
It is a huge problem, that this important theme is totally neglected in doctor's training.
Sehouli says that that ther must be time to handle the message for the patient, the message has to fit the patients personal situation and the doctor must understand what the patient understands from what the doctor said.

In this context, I can think of an example that I heard once:
There are 3 truths in communication:
1) What the speaker wants to say
2) What the speaker says
3) What the recipient understands
This can be very different from each other!

134SirThomas
aug 12, 2018, 4:04 am

The counter is now at 76 - I think #75 deserves its own post, so here is the next one:


76. Club Dead / Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouses vampire lover Bill is cheating.
Yet she tries to save his life.
There she meets a seductive werewolf.
Again thrilling, funny, bloody,... but as I said above the reading pleasure is decreasing from book to book.

135drneutron
aug 12, 2018, 3:16 pm

Congrats!

136SirThomas
aug 13, 2018, 8:51 am

Thank you!
And thank you for noticing in spite of your other obligations - congratulations for the liftoff!

137SirThomas
aug 15, 2018, 3:55 am

And another one - hey I am up to date again !


77. Wer stiehlt schon Unterschenkel by Gert Prokop
A science fiction story from 1977, written in the former German Democratic Republic, so there is a bit capitalism criticism.
The USA are cut off from the world, corporations dominate politics and politicians, the environment is damaged, the water is contaminated - drinking water is melted from the polar caps. Everyone is monitored by the NSA and others.
The rich live in abundance, the poor vegetate.
(By the way the differences to the real world today are not that big.)
In this world Timothy "Tiny" Truckle, a midget works works as a private detective for the rich.
The book is a collection of short stories about some cases.
It is very exciting, very funny and sometimes curious - but always a great read.
It is interesting to compare today's reality with the predictions of that time.

138mstrust
aug 15, 2018, 4:07 pm

Congratulations on hitting 75!

139SirThomas
aug 26, 2018, 9:09 am

Thank you, Jennifer.
Sorry for the delay, we were in a short holiday, for the public WLAN I had my tablet with me.
On the first day I entered the wrong PIN three times, so I had to wait until I was at home to unlock.
It was a wonderful and quiet holiday ;-).

140SirThomas
aug 26, 2018, 9:27 am

The next two books:


78. Die Launen des Todes / Death's Jest-Book by Reginald Hill
The book is the sequel to Die rätselhaften Worte with the same protagonists and some new twists to the story.
A pleasure to read again.


79. Das ägyptische Kreuz / The Egyptian Cross Mystery by Ellery Queen
The All-Knowing Investigator on the hunt for a murderer.
The dead are all headed and hung on a cross.
An Egyptian context or is everything different?
Nice to read, but a little bit old fashioned.

OK, only two books in the holidays, but the weather was beautiful and the spa department was full of thermal pools and sauna and the other guests were very interesting and and...
But I don't need to apologize, there is a time for books and a time for other things and I'll never be able to compete with Anita ;-).

141mstrust
aug 27, 2018, 12:09 pm

I'm glad you had a wonderful time, that's a successful holiday!

142SirThomas
aug 30, 2018, 3:47 am

Yes it was - and the time after is fantastic, too.
The Outsider is available in german and im reading the new book from one of my favourite authors!

143SirThomas
sep 2, 2018, 6:38 am

And the last book of August:


80. Der Outsider / The Outsider by Stephen King
The new book of one of my favourite outhors.
This one is a pleasure to read again.
A man is arrested for murdering a child.
He was seen and left marks.
But he also has an alibi, can he have been in two places at once?
Exciting, very well written - and there is a reunion with Holly Gibney.

144SirThomas
sep 2, 2018, 8:02 am

The August-stats:

Books read: 10
Pages read: 4,142 (longest 752 / shortest 192 / average 414)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
England: 1
Germany: 3
USA: 3

I know, that this are less than 9, but I read more than one book by one author.

Gender:
female authors: 2
male authors: 5

date first published:
20th century: 1932, 1977
21th century: 2001 (2 books), 2002 (2 books), 2003, 2017, 2018 (2 books)

145SirThomas
sep 6, 2018, 5:04 am

Today's saying on my calendar comes from an author, of whom I have several books. I think one of them will show up here soon.

Ist ja überhaupt ein bisschen verhext,
dass die Freude über einen Erfolg nie lange anhält.
Einen Ärger kann man sich schön aufbewahren,
der unterhält einen bis zum Lebensende.

It's a little bit bewitched at all,
that the joy of success never lasts long.
An annoyance can be stored beautifully,
it entertains you until the end of your life.

Wolf Haas, Das ewige Leben

I hope I can turn the focus around for me - I'm working on it.

Pictures like this help, I found this little free library during our holiday:

146SirThomas
sep 6, 2018, 5:52 am

September starts good - three books and the first week is not finished yet:


81. Dem Tod auf der Spur : dreizehn spektakuläre Fälle aus der Rechtsmedizin by Michael Tsokos
The author is forensic physician and describes Cases from his practice.
It is too sensational for a scientific work.
It is too detailed for a novel.
It is certainly interesting to learn how corpses are identified or how the cause of death is determined. In any case, I didn't find the right access to the book.


82. Geraubte Erinnerung / The Footprints of God by Greg Iles
A science thriller about the future of computer cechnology - thrilling and captivating.
A scientist knows too much and is hunted, he finds support from his psychiatrist - she helps him to survive and vice-versa.
A pleasure to read, a few inconsistencies are barely noticeable - The almighty NSA cannot locate a mobile phone.
The reading pleasure is not clouded thereby however.


83. @E.R.O.S. / Mortal fear by Greg Iles
A sysop of an erotic site comes on the trail of a serial killer.
He gets under suspicion himself and begins to investigate.
This puts him and his family in the killer's sights.
Another very exciting and very readable book.
OK, all protagonists are like superheroes, but it's ok for the book.
This time, the german title fits better.

147mstrust
sep 6, 2018, 11:04 am

>145 SirThomas: Now that's a really pretty LFL! And as someone who is often annoyed, I liked that quote very much :-D

148drneutron
sep 7, 2018, 8:24 am

Yeah, that's a very nice LFL!

149SirThomas
sep 12, 2018, 2:35 am

Yes, I love this one.
Unfortunately there were no suitable books for me in it - or the ones that fit I had already read.
But the area around Passau is very beautiful and the holiday was very nice.
Therefore I will probably visit the LFL again.
And if I don't find any books again, I can at least leave a book for others. - This time I only had ebooks with me.

150SirThomas
sep 12, 2018, 2:53 am

And two more books:

Inspired by the calendar motto (>145 SirThomas:) I started to read Wolf Haas:


84. Auferstehung der Toten by Wolf Haas
Simon Brenner was a policeman who was supposed to solve a murder.
He can't focus on what's important, but rather digresses again and again and takes care of every detail. Even if it has nothing to do with the matter at hand. He also works very slowly.
So he got problems in the job and now works as a private detective for an insurance company - on the same case.
The book begins 9 months after an old rich couple froze to death in a chairlift.
Brenner has almost become a native of the village. Slowly things start to move.
Wolf Haas is an author who is supposed to tell a story.
He can't focus on what's important, but rather digresses again and again and takes care of every detail. Even if it has nothing to do with the matter at hand.


85. Der Knochenmann by Wolf Haas
In a grill station human bones are found under the chicken bones.
The wife of the boss hires Simon Brenner - and disappears. Like some other people.
Simon Brenner solves the case in his inimitable way.
Funny, macabre, nice to read.

151SirThomas
sep 14, 2018, 4:46 am

Yestarday I read another birthday-book.
Roald Dahl was born 1916-09-13, so I took a book from him:


86. Die Prinzessin und der Wilderer by Roald Dahl
This is a collection of 4 short stories:
Die Prinzessin und der Wilderer / The Princess and the Poacher
An ugly poacher and a beautiful princess.
A Rescue and a Happy End.
Prinzessin Busenschön / Princess Mammalia
A beautiful princess with an ugly mind.
An attack and an end.
Der Antiquar / The bookseller
A bookseller and his accountant with an unusual business idea.
If you write invoices for undelivered books, you should choose the invoice recipient carefully.
Der Chirurg / The Surgeon
A poor surgeon saves a prince's life and is rewarded.
The reward is stolen and reappears in an unusual place.

I love the writing style and the black humor.
Also the twists at the end.

152SirThomas
Bewerkt: sep 29, 2018, 5:01 am

After a little break with other things (treasure hunt and life) it is time for an update:


87. Berlin blutrot by Andreas Izquierdo
A collection of short stories, located in Berlin:

Der Fremde - Vincent Kliesch
A man wakes up locked up in his empty apartment and tries to escape.
A stranger has him locked up. But who is the perpetrator, who is the victim?
Laconic, surprising, good.

Eingetaucht - Oliver Bottini
A killer gets confused with his camouflage identities and goes to a psychiatrist.
Hard, direct, super.

Surfen - Michel Birbæk
A bully tells how he beats people up and gets beaten up. He can endure pain and surfs on the pain waves.
But this time it could be too much.
Despite the brevity, the reader learns a lot about the background, the writing style is adapted to the character of the narrator - great!

Eine Prise Ewigkeit - Stephan Hähnel
A meticulous commissioner is looking for an excuse not to have to go on holiday with his wife.
He therefore watches over his newly-arrived neighbour. But things are going very differently than planned.
In the end, he has to go on holiday and could not convict his neighbour.

Ein zufriedener Mann - Zoë Beck
A married man falls in love with a ballet dancer.
But the outcome is completely different than expected. At the end one is dead and for two there is a happy ending.

Happy Birthday - Christoph Spielberg
A man travels with his friend to a weekend house to celebrate his 40th birthday.
He has a lover - his friend's wife.
On the journey they talk, the topics are misleading.
In the end everything is different than planned.

Treptower Tropfen - Marcel Feige
A killer & order fanatic hears a dripping cock - or is everything just an illusion?
The consequences are not.

Der Kunstpfeifer - Jochen Senf
A man is acoustically hypersensitive and seeks peace in a lonely penthouse.
Even there he is disturbed - he heals himself - somewhat unconventionally.

Verbrechen lohnt sich - Lena Blaudez
A private detective is hired as a bodyguard. She can protect her client - but also herself?
The opponent is overwhelming.

Frühling des Herzens - Kai Hensel
A psychologically stricken woman tries to sell her self-written book to a publisher.
When she doesn't succeed, the consequences are dramatic.

Wartensteiners letzte Überweisung - Viktor Iro
A banker and a bank scandal, but the scandal is bigger than known - will he get away with it?

Fischbrötchen - Lothar Berg
A bank robber scoops out a bank, often eating in a snack bar.
He thinks the old owner is harmless - but he is wrong.

Nikes letzter Sieg - Ulrike Bliefert
A teacher on a class trip - the last one before her pension.
Her students play a trick on her, but it backfire.

Hot Shot - Andrea Vanoni
A woman wants to break out of her boring marriage and get rid of her husband, but the plan goes wrong.

Zeitbomben - -ky
A burglar kills a critic, an author admits the act to get publicity.
It comes differently than he planned.

Falscher Ort, falsche Zeit … - Sebastian Fitzek
Another burglar, he finds several corpses during his burglary, he is in the wrong place at the wrong time and wants to flee in a taxi.
He is really in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I like short stories an this comilation is worth to be read.

153SirThomas
sep 29, 2018, 5:09 am

And the next one:


88. Arkadien erwacht by Kai Meyer
A YA book about a girl coming home to Italy to her father's family.
A Mafia clan.
She meets a boy who belongs to the opposing clan.
They also belong to another clan, they are shape-shifters.
A story full of intrigues begins, who can trust whom?
Kai Meyer is a great narrator, the book is also a pleasure for adults.

154SirThomas
sep 29, 2018, 10:05 am

Now I'm not only late, I forgot a book, too:

89. Der letzte Tag der Schöpfung by Wolfgang Jeschke
A former NASA pilot is assigned to a secret project.
He is to travel to the past and lay the foundations for a better future.
But the project has completely different effects than planned, also because others came up with the same idea.
A very exciting and easy to read book, which also made me think about the consequences of action.

Now it is time for the beginning of a new book - a birthday-book again.
Today is the birthday of Colin Dexter so this is my choice: Die Toten von Jericho.

155PaulCranswick
sep 29, 2018, 10:51 pm

Wishing you a lovely weekend, Thomas.

156SirThomas
okt 12, 2018, 5:19 am

Thank you Paul, I had...
Time is running - I was reading, now it is time for an update:

The September-stats:

Books read: 9
Pages read: 2,923 (longest 689 / shortest 106 / average 325)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Austria: 1
England: 1
Germany: 20
USA: 1

I know, that this are more than 9, but some books had more than one author.

Gender:
female authors: 4
male authors: 19

date first published:
20th century: 1971, 1989, 1996, 1997 (2 books)
21th century: 2003, 2009 (2 books), 2011

...and the first 9 months:

Books read: 89
Pages read: 33,119 (longest 1,011 / shortest 48 / average 372)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Argentina: 1
Austria: 3
Canada: 6
England: 17
Germany: 47
Ireland: 2
Scottland: 1
South Africa: 1
Sweden: 2
Switzerland: 2
USA: 76

Gender:
female authors: 30
male authors: 128

date first published:
20th century: 1912, 1920, 1923, 1926, 1932, 1936, 1971, 1975 (2 books), 1977, 1981 (2 books), 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994 (2 books), 1995, 1996 (3 books), 1997 (3 books), 1998 (2 books), 1999 (3 books).
21th century: 2000 (2 books), 2001 (2 books), 2002 (2 books), 2003 (2 books), 2005 (3 books), 2006, 2007 (3 books), 2009 (7 books), 2010 (6 books), 2011 (6 books), 2012 (3 books), 2013, 2014 (3 books), 2015 (2 books), 2016 (6 books), 2017 (5 books), 2018 (3 books).

The October books will be updated this weekend - I hope so.

157Ameise1
okt 13, 2018, 2:41 am

>180 SirThomas: Thanks so much for introducing this series. I've just finished the first one and will definitely go on with it.
Happy weekend.

158SirThomas
okt 17, 2018, 2:39 am

>157 Ameise1:
You're welcome!
I am always happy when I can give something back from the great suggestions I get in the group!
I also have a few books by Wolf Haas on my TBR-pile - I will go on with it, too.

159SirThomas
okt 17, 2018, 2:40 am

And now the promised update of the books - again a little bit late:


90. Die Toten von Jericho / The Dead of Jericho by Colin Dexter
Another eccentric policeman.
Inspector Morse investigates the suicide of a woman he knew.
In the course of the investigation more people die.
Easy reading for the vacation - unfortunately I had none.

160SirThomas
okt 17, 2018, 2:41 am

Another series:


91. Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen / Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by Joanne K. Rowling

92. Harry Potter und die Kammer des Schreckens / Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by Joanne K. Rowling

94. Harry Potter und der Gefangene von Askaban / Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by Joanne K. Rowling

96. Harry Potter und der Feuerkelch / Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by Joanne K. Rowling

97. Harry Potter und der Orden des Phönix / Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by Joanne K. Rowling

98. Harry Potter und der Halbblutprinz / Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by Joanne K. Rowling

99. Harry Potter und die Heiligtümer des Todes / Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by Joanne K. Rowling
There's only one thing to say about that: READ IT and read it and read it.
This is not my first round with this gorgeous series - and it will not be th last.

161SirThomas
okt 17, 2018, 2:42 am

And the two books I read in between - when the hardcovers where not available:

93. Breisschauer by Anne Grießer
A collection of creepy stories.
Little creepy, not always good.
Maybe the weather was too good when I read the book ;-).


95. Frohes Fest by Wolfgang Jeschke
A collection of christmas stories, some of them creepy, some of them good.
A nice preparation for the big event in winter.
But if autumn already has summer temperatures, what awaits us in December?
Santa Claus in swimming trunks is also a frightening thought.

162SirThomas
nov 1, 2018, 12:53 pm

And again too much time has passed.
But I was in for treasure hunt - a pleasure again.
And I have also read:


100. Wer Strafe verdient / The Punishment She Deserves by Elizabeth George
Another Linley / Havers mystery or better Ardery / Havers.
A suicide in a prison cell is to be solved. Havers is under strict observation, can she stand it?
Again great characters and an exciting story.


101. Rosen für Apoll / by Joachim Fernau
A Historical Work - The History of the Greeks.
The narrative is great, I would have liked that at school too...


102. Alpträume / Nightmares and Geezenstacks by Frederic Brown
Bizarre, exciting, humorous short stories.
Ingenious.
Another birthday-book - and again a hit!


103. Die Detektive von Chicago / Compliments of a Fiend by Frederic Brown
A good old detective-story.

163SirThomas
nov 1, 2018, 1:09 pm

The October-stats:

Books read: 14
Pages read: 6,826 (longest 1,024 / shortest 157 / average 488)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
England: 2
Germany: 3
USA: 2

I know, that this are less than 14, but I read some books from the same author.

Gender:
female authors: 3
male authors: 4

Alternate count:
Author nationalities:
England: 8
Germany: 3
USA: 3

Gender:
female authors: 9
male authors: 5

date first published:
20th century: 1950, 1960 (2 books), 1981, 1989, 1997, 1998, 1999
21th century: 200, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014, 2018

164SirThomas
nov 17, 2018, 11:33 am



Dull and grey November....
This is one reason why I was again not here.
Outside it was just too beautiful.

165figsfromthistle
nov 17, 2018, 11:37 am

>164 SirThomas: Wonderful picture! Gorgeous fall colors.

166SirThomas
nov 17, 2018, 12:00 pm

>165 figsfromthistle: Yeah, that's why I took the picture.
In some situations you want your peace and quiet, but then you're glad to have your mobile phone with you.

167SirThomas
Bewerkt: nov 14, 2019, 3:44 pm

But I read anyway:


104. Saufit: Von einem, der auszog, nie wieder krank zu werden / Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection by A. J. Jacobs
A kind of autobiography, The author tries out everything possible to stay healthy and lets the reader participate in it.
Not my cup of tea - and not much new.


105. Ein gutes Omen. Die freundlichen und zutreffenden Prophezeiungen der Hexe Agnes Spinner / Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Armageddon in England.
Demons, angels, witches, witch seekers, children,...
One of my favourite books!
Every time a pleasure again.


106. Bruderherz: Ich hätte dir so gern die ganze Welt gezeigt by Marian Grau
Marian's big brother is severely handicapped and dies early.
Despite the hardships, life is beautiful, even if the family cannot often go on holiday.
After the death of his brother Marian begins to travel and dedicates his travels to his brother.
A kind of autobiography, too, but this one has touched me - the author is 15 years old

168FAMeulstee
nov 17, 2018, 2:40 pm

>164 SirThomas: Beautiful fall picture, Thomas!
We still have unusual dry and sunny weather.

169SirThomas
nov 18, 2018, 3:35 am

It's the same with us, the clouds in the picture didn't bring any rain either.
We have acquaintances, they have a sheep farm and have big problems to get food, because the grass did not grow due to the dryness.
They already had to feed the winter supplies in September.
They don't know what it will be like in winter.
Sad.

170SirThomas
nov 18, 2018, 3:57 am

Last night I finished the book, now it is here - I am on time again!

107. Welten im All / Best Science Fiction Stories of James Blish by James Blish
A collection of SF short stories.
Melancholic, poetic, dystopian.
I didn't find the right approach, so there aren't so many stars.
Nevertheless, I liked to read it, also because I like the selection process.
I stood in front of a bookcase and picked out the book.
I like to read ebooks, but this process only works with paper books.

171SirThomas
nov 23, 2018, 2:17 am

And the next one:

108. Die sieben Geheimnisse guten Sterbens by Dorothea Mihm and Annette Bopp
Dorothea Mihm is a palliative nurse and alternative practitioner.
The book is an autobiography and a companion.
It describes the experiences with dying. Well written and interesting. It helps to deal with dying.

Some quotes:

Greifen und festhalten kann ich seit der Geburt.
Teilen und Schenken musste ich lernen.
Jetzt übe ich das lassen.
(Anonym)
I have been able to grasp and hold since birth.
I had to learn to share and give.
Now I practice letting it go.
(Anonymously)

Was immer an Freude ist in dieser Welt, entspringt dem Wunsch, andere glücklich zu sehen.
Was immer an Leid ist in dieser Welt, entspringt dem Wunsch, nur selbst glücklich zu sein.
(Shantideva)
Whatever joy is in this world comes from the desire to see others be happy.
Whatever suffering there is in this world, it comes from the desire to be happy only oneself.
(Shantideva)

172SirThomas
nov 24, 2018, 4:19 am

And Now for Something Completely Different:

109. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
A breathless hunt through the cyber space and real world.
Dystopian and hopeful, exciting and over-excited.
A hacker, swordsman, pizza boy.
A 15 year old skateboard courier.
An opaque woman.
A killer, a mafia uncle, many friends and enemies,...
Language as virus - with which one can program brains.
If you don't take the book too seriously, it is a great reading pleasure.
... but some theories about language are serious scientific issues.

173SirThomas
nov 27, 2018, 1:46 am

Weird things are happening!
Water is falling down the sky - strange.
Yesterday it began to rain - in former times this was a nuisance - after this summer it is a reason for joy!
Speaking of weird - I got a message that I won a book from Member Giveaways - Weird Weirder Weirdest - another reason for joy.

174FAMeulstee
nov 28, 2018, 5:48 am

>173 SirThomas: I completely get your feelings, Thomas. Here we also desperately need rain.
We had a few days with rain this summer. When Frank & I went for a walk it started to rain and we got all wet, and we were so happy!

175mstrust
nov 28, 2018, 11:11 am

Enjoy it!
We're anticipating a storm on Thursday night. Rain is always welcome here and we've had more this year than usual.

176SirThomas
dec 1, 2018, 5:20 am

Rain may sometimes be a little uncomfortable, but I have learned to appreciate it. Especially after this hot and dry summer.

There's a nice saying about the weather:
There is no bad weather.
There is only inappropriate clothing.

No life without rain.
... and no sight like this:


177SirThomas
dec 2, 2018, 5:14 am

The last book of November:

110. Hard-boiled Wonderland und Das Ende der Welt / Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami
Other authors write short stories, Murakami needs the space to describe how a man takes an elevator and enters a room.
Boring? No! The length is just right.
Very poetic, very interesting, how the author tells 2 stories that come together bit by bit.

178SirThomas
dec 2, 2018, 5:25 am

And The November-stats:

Books read: 7
Pages read: 2,887 (longest 737 / shortest 272 / average 412)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
England: 2
Germany: 3
Japan: 1
USA: 3

I know, that this are more than 7, but some books have more than one author.

Gender:
female authors: 2
male authors: 7

date first published:
20th century: 1965, 1985, 1990, 1992
21th century: 2004, 2012, 2018

179PaulCranswick
dec 2, 2018, 5:45 am

Well over a hundred books this year already Thomas. Well done!

Trust that you will have a great Sunday.

180SirThomas
dec 4, 2018, 2:16 am

>179 PaulCranswick: Thank you - I had:
Cold, rain, a cozy apartment - and books:


111. Arkadien brennt by Kai Meyer
The second part is as exciting as the first part.
Rosa learns more and more about her family and her clan.
Nevertheless it gets more and more confusing for her.
A new (old?) enemy appears.
Really good to read.

181SirThomas
dec 15, 2018, 4:31 am

And the next ones:


112. Arkadien fällt by Kai Meyer
The great ending of the series with a great showdown.
Exciting and gripping.


113. Die Welt ist nicht immer Freitag by Horst Evers
A conglomeration of bizarre events from the author's life.
Listening to them on stage is much more fun than reading them.


114. Höllenjazz in New Orleans / The Axeman's Jazz by Ray Celestin
A great murder hunt through New Orleans in 1919.
A serial killer goes around, many hunt him - a policeman, a former police officer on behalf of the Mafia, a journalist and a girl who wants to become a private detective. Her problem is that she is black.
Very atmospheric.


115. Sturmnacht / Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Harry Dresden is a magician who tries to get by in life.
He gets into more and more dangerous situations, it's actually impossible that he survives them, but he manages it with the most impossible tricks.
He tries to fight a dark magician.
Funny and exciting - I love it.


116. Wolfsjagd / Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
This time Harry Dresden has to deal with werewolves - great!


117. Per Anhalter durch die Galaxis / The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Here is nothing to say - one of my favourite books!
I don't know how many times I've read the series - it's always fun.

182SirThomas
dec 16, 2018, 5:23 am

When I looked out of the window this morning, I felt a little bitChristmassy - it was snowing!



I wish you all a loving Advent season.

183mstrust
dec 16, 2018, 12:16 pm

Very pretty, and cold! I hope you're having a wonderful season.

184SirThomas
dec 18, 2018, 4:34 am

Thank you Jennifer, I think I have.
I have a loving and beloved wife.
I have books.
I have a wonderful community in the 75 Books Challenge with fantastic companions
I have 5 pears at the 2018 holiday hunt.
I have the last day of work this year.
...

185mstrust
dec 21, 2018, 4:38 pm

186SirThomas
dec 24, 2018, 7:28 am

>185 mstrust: Thank you, Jennifer.

Back from our beautiful pre-christmas-holiday I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a peaceful time.

(This was the view from our hotel balcony)

187Ameise1
dec 24, 2018, 8:00 am

188paulstalder
dec 24, 2018, 4:08 pm



the light is born (a nativity scene from Riehen)
Wish you a happy Christmas time

>145 SirThomas: Where is this book tree? Looks great

189PaulCranswick
dec 25, 2018, 4:48 am



Happy holidays, Thomas

190SirThomas
dec 25, 2018, 11:08 am

>187 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara for the good wishes.
It is always a pleasure to welcome nice people.

>188 paulstalder: Thank you, Paul for the beautiful interpretation of the Christmas message.
I love the picture.
We found the book tree in Bad Birnbach in the Brunnaderstraße, I think in Front of the Hotel Lenauhof - or nearby.
Bad Birnbach is a part of the "Bäderdreieck" bad Birnbach, Bad Griesbach and bad Füssing.
The next bigger town is Passau.

>189 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul for the good wishes.
Joy, Love and Laughter is a good motto for your whole life.

191SirThomas
Bewerkt: dec 29, 2018, 4:27 am

Now it is tim for a reading update:
Vacation, reading and 2019 have occupied me a bit, so now some more books come at one time.


118. Weird Weirder Weirdest by Martii A Maclean
This book I won at Member Giveaways and I like it.
It is a collection of very interesting short stories for younger about oppressors and the oppressed, stuff to think about for the bullies, sparks of hope for the oppressed. Also well readable for adults, especially if you read English as a foreign language.
Beautifully done, with matching pictures in front of the text.
In addition, there are teaching notes available - a very good idea!
The stories:
Having Writ Moves On
If you have to write an essay and your pen is enchanted, this can lead to unforeseen consequences - especially if the teacher doesn't believe you.
How could he? Enchanted pens don't exist, do they?

Hands Free
A (dystopian) world in which students have to pay the school with energy that they produce themselves with a generator, and one hand is constantly busy.
Workers' children have both hands free, but they do not get lessons.
A pupil learns how important education is, but also how important it is to play.
He tries to harmonize 2 worlds

Just Desserts
How do you deal with bullies? - magic cupcakes help ;-)

The Crack
A little time travel story - also help from the future is connected with work ;-).

The Patchwork Girl
A girl about a witch who turns dolls into children and makes people happy and a mayor who is full of hatred and prejudice.
End Good All Good.

Fast Boy
A boy never has time, because he plays too many games, he gets a clock with which he can stop the time. Now he has time.
But there are also side effects.

Fashion Victim
One girl wants new running shoes so she can be better than everyone else.
She wants to maintain her status in school and stand out from the others she oppresses.
She gets it and wins all the races, but here too there are side effects and she realizes that life means more than oppressing others.


119. Das todsichere Ding: Die Geschichte eines Computer-Coups by Gert Prokop
A computer specialist is looking for work and is not hired because he is registered as a terrorist in the system. He was only in the same train compartment as a terrorist, but that's not in the system. Together with others who have also failed in the system, he wants to outwit the computers and commit an online bank robbery.
But electronic surveillance is everywhere.
Very worth reading and more up-to-date than ever in this day and age - even if the computer technology described is somewhat outdated.


120. Am zehnten Tage / Ten Days' Wonder by Ellery Queen
A twisty story about a man with amnesia attacks who asks Ellery Queen for help.
He solves the case - he thinks, but then everything comes differently.
Somewhat antiquated, but still worth reading.


121. Sherlock Holmes und Jack the Ripper - eine Studie des Schreckens / A Study in Terror by Ellery Queen
Ellery Queen is sent a Sherlock Holmes manuscript. It is about Jack the Ripper.
Who sent it to him? Both stories are told - the Ripper story and the Queen search.
Nice.


122. Die Memoiren des Grafen / The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie
A turbulent story about adventurers, intrigue and love.
The ingenious investigator stays in the background.
The book is a bit older.


123. Der letzte Joker / The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie
New intrigues on the estate, a young man dies.
A secret society comes into play.
Superintendent Battle investigates again.


124. Mission - Spiel auf Zeit / Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Another superhero. Gideon Crew doesn't have long to live and can therefore take big risks.
He is hired by an opaque company to save an industrial spy and his knowledge. He fights against a very talented murderer.
Excitingly written.


125. Das Restaurant am Ende des Universums / The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
What shall I say? - read it!


126. Das Leben, das Universum und der ganze Rest / Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams
What shall I say? - read it!

192thornton37814
dec 31, 2018, 12:47 pm

193SirThomas
jan 5, 2019, 4:30 am

Thank you, Lori - I wish you the same!

194SirThomas
jan 5, 2019, 4:31 am

Now it is time for the last book of 2018:


127. Im Zwielicht des Todes Stronger Than Death by Manda Scott
The book is the third part of a series, but it is ok if you did not read the first two books.
Kellen Steward is a doctor and mountaineer. On a dangerous tour with a friend she finds a corpse. Also a doctor and friend.
More doctors are dying - is there a connection from the past?
Her mountaineering friend is suspected, but Kellen thinks she's innocent.
Well written, exciting, but sometimes a bit too much.
But the book was worth every cent - I had it from a book exchange cupboard in the hotel.

195SirThomas
jan 5, 2019, 4:31 am

And The December-stats:

Books read: 17
Pages read: 5,084 (longest 512 / shortest 110 / average 299)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Australia: 1
England: 2
Germany: 3
Scotland: 1
USA: 5

I know, that this less more than 17, but I read more than one book by one author - and some books have more than one author.

Gender:
female authors: 3
male authors: 9

date first published:
20th century: 1925, 1929, 1948, 1966, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1999
21th century: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2011 (2 books), 2014, 2017

196SirThomas
jan 5, 2019, 4:32 am

At the end the whole year 2019:

Books read: 127
Pages read: 48,763 (longest 1.024 / shortest 48 / average 384)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:
Argentina: 1
Australia: 1
Austria: 3
Canada: 5
England: 21
Germany: 76
Ireland: 2
Japan: 1
Scotland: 2
South Africa: 1
Sweden: 2
Switzerland: 2
USA: 84

Some books have more than author, some authors wrote more than 1 book I read in 2018, so the number is different to the number of books.

Gender:
female authors: 50
male authors: 151

date first published:
1912: 1 book
1920: 1 book
1923: 1 book
1925: 1 book
1926: 1 book
1929: 1 book
1932: 1 book
1936: 1 book
1948: 1 book
1950: 1 book
1961: 2 books
1965: 1 book
1966: 1 book
1971: 1 book
1975: 2 books
1977: 1 book
1979: 1 book
1980: 1 book
1981: 3 books
1982: 1 book
1983: 1 book
1985: 1 book
1986: 1 book
1987: 1 book
1989: 1 book
1989: 1 book
1990: 1 book
1991: 1 book
1992: 2 books
1994: 2 books
1995: 1 book
1996: 3 books
1997: 4 books
1998: 3 books
1999: 5 books
2000: 4 books
2001: 3 books
2002: 3 books
2003: 3 books
2004: 1 book
2005: 4 books
2006: 1 book
2007: 4 books
2009: 7 books
2010: 7 books
2011: 8 books
2012: 4 books
2013: 1 book
2014: 5 books
2015: 2 books
2016: 6 book
2017: 6 books
2018: 5 books

197SirThomas
jan 5, 2019, 4:35 am

Now it is time to say goodbye 2018 ans let's welcome 2019 with (Sir)Thomas' way through the year - with books and friends