Paul's first book thread

I justed thought it to be a good idea, to list what I actually read this year.
I start with those books we gave each other for Christmas and I read:
1) a nice picture book from Korea 동강의 아이들 by 김재홍, children playing at a river and becoming friends
2)Der Hobbit : Comic a gift to my son which I couldn't resist to take and read...
3) Dark City : das Buch der Prophetie by Damaris Kofmehl, a tremendous story about the fight between good and evil, light and darkness; the author is a social worker with street kids in Brasil and has also written several biographies
4) Die Tränen des Lichts by Kofmehl, volume 2 of the trilogy; now I should buy the last volume
5) Das Magdalena-Evangelium, a good read, although the idea about a Gospel by Magdalene is nonsense
6) Die dritte Jungfrau by Fred Vargas, I like her mysteries with Adamsberg
7) Sehnsucht nach Gott a good book about Christian behavior

That's a good start, isn't it? That should cover January, I guess.

Why do the touchstones not work?

From your intro: I have one big problem: I want to read everything... That just about describes everyone on the 75!
Welcome!

Touchstones have a mind of their own. I just sit back and let the babies have their way.

Welcome!

Welcome!

Gruezi Paul! Es freut mich, Dich hier zu sehen. Aber ich muss Dich vor dieser Gruppe warnen: Du wirst viele neue Buecher auf Deine Wuencshliste stecken!

Ich antworte Dein Email bald! (Ich esse Fruehstueck im Moment.)

Welcome to the group, Paul!

Cushla is correct in warning you that your TBR stack will grow in this group!!

Sorry for posting in German everyone, I just need the practice!!

No problem, Cushla! I thought it was nice personally.

Good morning everybody! Vielen Dank, Cushla, für Deine Warnung. Bin gespannt, was mir alles 'angedreht' wird.

I just finished a very good book (for breakfast) about librarians 8) This book is overdue! by Marilyn Johnson. A journalist dives into the world of librarians and finds herself intrigued by the vast history and possibilities of the world of information. Gives some ideas for the libraries I work in.

Here a quote from the book, attributed to John Willis Clark: ..."a library may be described as a gigantic mincing-machine into which the labours of the past are flung, to be turned out again in a slightly altered form as the literature of the present." Books are sausages made by writers.

Das Titel ist wirklich passend und lustig. Ich suche ueberall fuer zwei dumme Kinderbuecher - heute morgen muss ich zur Reinachbibliothek gehen und mein Krimi gestehen... sie sind doch hier!!!

That title is really funny and apt. I'm looking everywhere for 2 stupid kids' books - this morning I have to go to the Reinach library and confess to my crime...they are here somewhere!

Edited to add that the books only became stupid when they got to be overdue...

suche nach (nicht fuer) ... und wenn Du einen Krimi abgibst werden sie sich sehr freuen...

A Krimi in German is a book (a mystery/crime), so they will be very happy when you bring that in ;)

Duh, das wusste ich schon! Danke. Und ich dachte, dass etwas los mit "Krimi" war... eigentlich sitze ich jetzt hier am Tisch und mache meine Deutschaufgaben, aber langsamer, als ich soll.

Duh, i knew that!!! Thank you. And I thought there was something wrong with Krimi... actually now I am sitting here doing German homework...but more slowly than I should be!

Enjoying all these bilingual posts - a chance to brush up my very rusty German by reading that first before the English! That sounds an interesting book about libraries.

And I am glad to learn that "Duh" is the same in German and English.

Welcome to the group, Paul.

Just read his, not mine, otherwise you'll end up talking BAAAAAAAAAd pidgin German!

#9 Welcome, Paul, and thanks for that quote from This Book is Overdue. I had heard about that book and now want to read it.

Pat

Hi Pat
Wow, just fallen in and already a successful promotion of a book... Enjoy it, it's not a novel but it gave me a lot of interesting insights in (American) librarianship.

>14 Donna828: foget about Duh being German, you better read something like bäää
>14 Donna828: vergiss es, Duh ist nicht Deutsch, wir würden bäää oder so etwas schreiben

When I came to England for the first time, someone came along carrying huge suitcases. He asked me: Can you give me a hand, please? I was shocked and looked at my hands and asked tentatively: Which one?
That's how I learned English
Paul

Hello and welcome to our chatty, friendly, well read group.

I should follow up my list of reads:
Then I read some comics/graphic novels: Y: the last man by Brian K. Vaughan
9) Entmannt (seufz, der falsche Touchstone)
10) Tage wie diese
11) Ein kleiner Schritt
12) Offenbarungen wrong Touchstone again: it shows dozens - but not the right one
13) Extrablatt these things are a nuisance

or kind of fun - was that the hint that I will be given tons of TBRs on my stack? the books by Juliana of Norwich and Barbara Häusler look interesting. Maybe a hint of the ghost in the machine for me to read those revelations?

I read some more comics: Tödliches Wiegenlied by Philippe Tome
14) Das Herz eines Taxifahrers
15) Die Beine der Tänzerin
and some comics by Alex Macartney
16) Herr Hummel

17) Herr Hummel macht Ferien
18) Hips Hops und Gopselmusik
19) The complete Calvin and Hobbes, well I didn't read all of it, but I gave it as a Christmas present to my daughter - great stuff

20) Abgeschoben und verachtet this is a autobiography by Walter Iseli, who was 'sold' as a child to a farmer, because his own family couldn't support all their children anymore; tragic

Oh, I love Calvin and Hobbes!

>18 Whisper1: very funny!

To me the best comic ever and bet you agree

21) Der fremde Gast by Charlotte Link. A psychothriller about a young man who was taken away from his alcohol ridden family and 'given' to a well situated couple who then abused him. His foster family was then brutally murdered and he was thought guilty. But... A good read
22) Zarte Blume Hoffnung by Hardy Krüger. A novel in quotes from letters and diaries of two people who grew up on different sides of the German border. They played together as kids. Then her family moved to Siberia and his to England. Then just after WWII they met again in Berlin - she in the East, he in the West. Good story, some lengthy parts

To complete my freading list:

23) Matilda by Roald Dahl, a reread from my youth: a little girl develops supernatutral powers and drives the mad school head away; recently seen on TV, too.


24) Der kleine Mann by Erich Kästner; another children's book I read as a kid; great; adventures of a very little man

25) Der Schimmelreiter by Theodor Storm; reread this German novella about the master of dams in a stormy night
Then I read two books by Janet Evanovich, because she wrote so many books and some people were praising her. Well, I found them very readable, but shallow.
26) Jeder Kuss ein Treffer
27) One for the Money

28) Was man Liebe nennt an old classic by C. S. Lewis about Love; I read it as teenager and I am again intrigued by Lewis' argumentation. Here I prefer to read it in German, sometimes I have problems with Lewis' English

29) Schwarz auf rot by Qiu Xialong. Excellent, another librarian recommended the author to me. A mystery from Shanghai

#25: I like the Qiu Xialong books. Have you read any others in the series? The first one, Death of a Red Heroine, is very good!

Yes, I did (but later in April) but I put it in here now
30) Death of a Red Heroine it is a good story, and I guess, gives some good impressions about life in a Chinese city

#27: Ah, sorry I rushed you on that one :)

Glad to add my belated greeting to you, Paul, and enjoying seeing the literature of the German speaking world for the first time! Thanks!

Hi Richard

Glad to show you a new world... But you have Thomas Mann on your list. Even reading it in English, it gives some impression about German literatur, nicht wahr?

Here is a famous Swiss children book series/comics:
31) Globis lustige Streiche im Narrendorf by Robert Lips. Globi started his life as an adverisment figur for Globus, a department store chain. It's a blueish bird in checkered trousers. Funny pictures with funny rhymes.

I read some serious stuff, too
32) Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. Psychologically interesting, it gives some insights in a kitchen-loving-woman, but it never hit me.
33) Das dreizehnte Dorf by Romain Sardou, a french historical mystery. Another conspiracy, Vatican-go-bad, story in Middle Age France. Good read, the end is a bit weak.
34) The green mile by Stephen King. I am not a King fan, but this story gripped me. Sad reading


35) Marcio - ich will leben! by Damaris Kofmehl. It's the story about a Brasilian boy, living in the streets and then finding a way out. Great story, based on facts

>30 paulstalder: Oh, Paul, don't get me wrong...I've read Expressionist plays, Goethe, Rilke, Mann...but these are not part of what's happening today, now, in the world I can't access readily because I never studied hard enough in German class.

I'm getting my curiosity fed well now, though!

Another Swiss mystery:
36) Helvetiastrasse 17 by Jacob Fischer. An elderly Pastor Iseli from the Grisons isn't happy with the findings of the police and travels to Zürich to do his own research. I actually didn't read it but listened to the radioplay. Verry good.
37) Jabez by Thom Lemmons. Jabez is a Biblical figure who is mentioned once, said an interesting prayer and was never mentioned again. Lemmons (and others) made a novel out of that. Readable.
38) Nur noch einmal by Ulla Fröhling. A waste of time. I got it from the Frauenbibliothek Riehen (I catalgued their books) and thought, maybe, some erotic stories would do me good. Well, they weren't much erotic and most of them were boring, bad chick lit
39) Die steile Himmelsleiter : eine ehrliche Biographie the autobiography of Adrian Plass. Fun reading

Paul, may I ask you a favor? I can't dredge up enough German to say "Wielen Danke" and there is a blog/book series of alternate history I'd like to know a little about: http://www.kaiserkrieger.de/

The books are about what happens when an Imperial German Navy ship is transported back in time to the 4th Century. I'd like to know if the books are well-written, from a German speaker's point of view.

I'd be very grateful, if you have the time and inclination!

Hi Richard, glad to help you. But I don't know the books nor the author. The kaiserkrieger page doesn't give much in terms of his writing style. I will check my library(es) on Monday, maybe I find the first book - but since it is just announcecd to come from the printers, I doubt to find it.
I let you know when I've found out more.

PS: Vielen Dank - bitte schön, gern geschehen

Thanks most awfully, Paul!

I finished two books this weekend:


40) Kulturschock Brasilien by Carl D. Goerdeler, a very good introduction to country and culture of Brasil. We were sending out a missionary yesterday for Belem to work among the street kinds there. I my 'farewell speech' I could draw on some information I got from that book.
41) Der verbotene Ort by Fred Vargas. I love her mysteries with Commissaire Adamsberg. Really good. that's my 6th book I've read.
42) Die schwarzen Wasser der Seine, I read in March 2010

#37: I have heard good things about the Vargas books, which even in the translated editions, are not available at my local library. I am glad to see you think they are worth reading, Paul!

>38 alcottacre: They are worth reading. The psychological/philosophical meandering of Adamsberg's thinking is sometimes a bit puzzling. But there are always twists of the action which I find stunning, sometimes a bit far-fetched. I like her style of telling stories.

#39: I am definitely going to have to try harder to track them down. Thanks for the input, Paul.

I just got another graphic novel from the library and couldn't stop reading it right away:

43) Auschwitz by Pascal Croci. Depressing, but well done. The horror is still here. It's a story about two survivors who tell their story in 1943-44 in Auschwitz.

#41: Have you read Maus and Maus II by Art Spiegelman, Paul? They are graphic novels about his father's time in a concentration camp. Excellent books, IMHO.

Trying to fix the Touchstones, but they are not cooperating!!

>41 paulstalder: Thanks for the hint. I checked the library catalog here and they have the books. So, I try to get them tomorrow.

I found Maus excellent too - read it for a bookgroup a couple of years ago. I don't read many graphic novels but these were very moving.

#43: I will be interested in seeing what you think of them, Paul.

Yes, I found Maus & Maus II to be far better than the Croci book.

Yep, I got the complete Maus from my library. I just had a short look at it so far. I don't like his style very much (the figures look alike much) - I prefer Croci's. But the story is richer and differentiated.

I guess I was reminded of every thing I know about the holocaust when I saw Croci's graphics, and that struck me. I didn't read the author's interview - I read his book, and I didn't like his ending.

I finished a Spanish mystery by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, about a boy in Barcelona who discovered a book in the Cemetery of the Forgotten Books and tries to find its author. A great story.
44) Der Schatten des Windes

It's a best-seller over here, but I haven't read it yet. I'm a bit reluctant about recent best-sellers and so many pages. But form what I hear from you and see on LT, it's a recommended?

I read The Shadow of the Wind last year. Definitely recommended. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I loved The Shadow of the Wind as well!

Yes, sure, read it. I enjoyed it. It takes a while ... all these pages ... and the interwoven narrative strands are sometimes a bit much. And I personally had some problems remembering all the Spanish names ... but definitevly worh it

Thanks, you've won me over. I'm adding this one as my Spanish entry for the Europe Endless Challenge.

Two smaller books I finished (both concern Basel):

45) Die älteste Eisenbahn auf Schweizer Boden, 1844 - die neueste Bahnstrecke in Basel, 1994, a little booklet abnout the first train station on Swiss territory. 1840 was the start of the French railway from Strasbourg to St. Louis and in 1844 the first train crossed an international border


46) Der Till vo Basel by Felix Burckhardt, a modern tale - as the subtitle says. It's about a fictiotious character called Till (like Till Eulenspiegel), a true Basler, but a rascal, loved by women, despised by men, and his deeds - all written in Swiss (Basel) German, and in verses. Here the beginning:
Haiss aine Zäsli, Meier oder Vischer,
me frogt halt z Basel zerscht emool: Was isch er?
Wo kunnt er här? Und isch jetz au sy Bappe
dä vo der Sandoz oder vo der Schappe?

Is one's name Zäsli, Meier or Vischer?
Here in Basel we first ask: Who is he?
Where does he come from? And his father, is that the one
who works for Sandoz or for Schappe?

Interesting, you have Till vo Basel, we have Tijl Uilenspiegel (or Till Eulenspiegel). As a student I had to read Lazarillo de Tormes, which is sort of a Spanish Tijl. Would more countries have this kind of character in literature? Hard to imagine the British, French, Irish, Italians, etc. would not have their own Tijl...

In Februara and March I also read:
47) Der Richter aus Paris by Ulrich Wickert, a French coroner investigates in money laundering, done by a French party; the trace leads to Martinique. Gives some insights about La Grande Nation and their dealings with the colonies - apart from a good story
48) Der Sturz des Imam by Nawal El-Saadawi. I wanted to broaden my understanding of Arab literature. I tells about a woman in Egypt and her sufferings under the rule of an imam. Good story, but I didn't like the style
49) Aishah, the beloved of Mohammed by Nabia Abbott. The biography of the teeange wife of Mohammed. An adultion of the little girl and the woman - a lot of quotes from Arab writers - but no contemporary ones, and written in a boring style; it tells nothing apart from the traditional knowing of later centuries and doesn't really picture Aisha in her time.

50) Mohammed : eine Biographie by Hans Jansen, a Dutch historian. Jansen goes into every detail of Mohammed's life and time. He acknoledges that there are no sources for Moahmmeds life apart from the Koran (and those manuscripts are much later than for example those of the New Testament). He lists all the possible interpretations, but doesn't devalue traditional beliefs - he just states the pro and contras. the best I have read so far about Mohammed

Congratulations on getting to 50 books, Paul!

Thanks

I just finished a little mystery in between:
51) Miss Daisy und der Mord im Flying Scotsman by Carola Dunn. A cozy read. A noble dame helps the police solving a murder case.

I want to rread some more Swiss literature, so I chose:

52) Ich werde hier sein im Sonnenschein und im Schatten by Christian Kracht. It's a somewhat bizarr science fiction story: Lenin didn't leave Switzerland and so the country became the SSR (Swiss Sowjet Republic). They conquered Africa (well, large junks anyway) and recruited their soldiers from the Africans. The Réduit in the Alps became the main stronghold against the Germans, Hindustanis and the Amexicans. The main character is a Black polit officier who takes back New Bern and tracks down traitors.

53) The good husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith. It's my first acquaintance with the No. 1 Ladies' Detective agency. The figures are nicely described, the mysteries are everyday stories. But an easy, fast read.

Easy, fast reads still count!

Thanks, good to know ;)

Now I finished not such a fast, easy read:
54) The suicide of reason by Lee Harris. Harris points out, that the threat of Muslim terrorism is not only the 'physical' danger but more important, the threat to our Western culture, especially democracy. In allowing Islam to make more and more demands for exemptions and exceptions to them we give up our basic culture, including tolerance and democracy. We should not tolerate those who wish to destry the Western culture. Islam knows no democracy nor tolerance for other faiths. In order to save our inheritance from the enlightenment, we must demand of all immigrants to live according to our own rules here in the West.
I hope you understand what I try to say. I am not good in writing reviews and such, I prefer talking face to face.
It is a disturbing book, and sometimes Harris is talking like in the Elfenbeinturm - and sometimes he 'forgets' some points (he downplays the genocide on the American Indians 'North America could only be peopled, not conquered' and he doesn't acknowledge the power of a genuine faith - Christian or Muslim -, he only argues from reason). But gives some good insight into Condorcet or Hobbes and other historcial ideas about culture, civilization and the Enlightenment.

#63: I would be interested in reading the Harris book. Thanks for the recommendation, Paul.

Thanks for your review. I'll be interested to read this one, as it rapidly becomes one of the hot issues in our society today.

I finished another Swiss mystery:

55) Eiger, Mord & Jungfrau : Kriminalroman by Paul Wittwer. a medical doctor from the Insel Hospital in Bern looks into the death of colleague - he uncovers a whole network of illegal medical dealings. I really enjoed reading it - it gripped at the end. Sometimes I wanted to shake the hero for not getting help in time (a doctor knows everything and can do everything on his own).

Another short read, but only because there are so many pictures in the book:

56) Aufbruch in die Gegenwart, ed by Peter Herzog. 106 ve4ry interesting historical fotografs from the collection Herzog in the Schweizerisches Landesmuseum in Zürich. 'La Suisse n'existe pas' was written in the Swiss pavillon at the world exposition in Sevilla 1992. Well we became globalized, internationalized, toleraized etc, but we still have a unique history. There are fotografs from medical lectures, a car accident with a cart, hay harvest, building of railways in the Alps, construction of Zürich airport, Basel habour and so on. Also an article on the history of fotografy in Switzerland. A great volume.
BTW pick your language: German, French and Italian

I switched to a Chinese novel:

57) Im Laufschritt durch Peking by Xu Zechen. Twenty-year-olds living in the streets of Peking, selling fake papers and pirate copies of Western movies. It is not so much about China, than about friendship and surviving in the street, doing your own thing.

I had another good look into a collection of historic fotografs, this time from different archives here in Basel:

58) Blickfänger : Fotografien in Basel aus zwei Jahrhunderten. The pix come from the City Archives, the Basel Mission, the Africa Bibliographies, the pharmazeutic industries, museums, and private collections. A fascinating bunch of pictures from Basel and around the world, with differing subjects from portrait to architecture to landscapes and art. With informative terxts about Basel, archives, and fotografy.

59) Hundstage by Alicia Giménez Bartlett, a Spanish mystery - about an accident, a left dog and an affair among the police.

I finished a fascinating thriller about the Edda manuscripts
60) Codex Regius by Arnaldur Indriðason, a good read (well, I like references to old books, manuscripts and archives)

#72: As I like references to old books, manuscripts and archives as well, I will look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Paul.

Yes, it's about the Edda, they hunt down a lost manuscript.

#74: Cool! It definitely sounds like one I would like.

#72 Hello Paul, I've added Codex Regius to my wishlist too - definitely sounds right up my street. I became fascinated with old manuscripts when I was about 12 and got hold of an illustrated book about the Book of Kells - I think it was this one on the touchstone. And then I studied the Edda and sagas etc at college... So this one is definitely for me!

I try to remember what I read in March
61) Nächte mit Spoon : Roman by Amy Yamada, an easy read about the life of young Japanese, light

62) Mini: Das Original unter den Kleinwagen - seit 50 Jahren by Christof Vieweg, a little history of the car with pictures. Our first car in England was a Mini and my daughter (23) gets ecstatic whenever she sees a Mini; good little book
63) Solaris : Hörspiel by Stanisław Lem, I listened to this classic of sci-fi, It's a really fascinating story

64) Ein König für Deutschland : Roman by Andreas Eschbach. A German novel about some young people who founded a new party and won the elections and so reinstalled a king; fun, comic; a good German novel about some political ideas in Germany (not to be taken too seriously)
65) Der Mann, der niemals lebte : Thriller by David Ignatius, a well written thriller about a spy infiltrating Al Qaeda

I have a hard time remembering what I read yesterday, let alone 4 months ago!

That's what LT is for - I check my list according to the date I entered the books and hopefully remember what it was all about (usually works)

Oh, that's your secret!

66) Das Geheimnis des Cagliostro by Michael Schneider, an account of the questioning by the inquisitors of the count Alessandro di Cagliostro, an occultist, freemason, and adventurer. I live at the Cagliostro Road, so I should know a few things about the name giver. We have a building here in Riehen, called Cagliostro Pavillon, nearby, that's where he stayed on his few travels to Switzerland. He intrigued against Marie Antoinette in the affair of the diamond necklace.

67) Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell. A good description about an English village and their (female) inhabitants in the 19th century. A good language, a really enjoyable read.

Why don't the touchstones work?

#82: I read Cranford earlier this year and loved it. I am glad to see you enjoyed it too, Paul.

As far as Touchstones go, who knows!

What I read in April:

68) Die fünfte Variable by Christophe Badoux, a comic explaining the Swiss old age insurance/pension; the story of some young people who discuss the system and its problems; a good way to explain things, well drawn

69) Die materiellen Verhältnisse und Vortheile für Einwanderer im Staate Kentucky, Ver. Staaten v. Amerika ed. by Karl L. Franke, a little booklet telling about the situation in Kentucky and why people should emigrate to the US, especially to Kentucky, printed 1880 in Frankfort KY
70) Das Schweigen des Lemming by Stefan Slupetzky, a mystery from Wien, Austria; a pinguin gets murdered in the zoo and an valuable piece of art gets missing; slow moving, some very interesting twists, worthwhile
71) Cassie by Misty Bernall, the emotional story of one of the victoms of the Columbine masasacre; last year, I read Columbine by Dave Cullen; incomprehensible what happened then
72) Kennedys Hirn by Henning Mankell; the story of a Swedish archaeologist who wants to know why her son died; Mankell did obviously some research for the background in Africa; but I didn't enjoy it us much as I did his Wallander mysteries

73) Der Lavagänger by Steinhard Stöckel; a German novel, fantasy like (better irrealistic) about the life of grandfather, father, son, who travel around the world in search of their past; well written but the plot is weak and incomprehensible

Hi Kerry, Stasia and Genny, I finished two more books dealing with the Holocaust:

74) Schuhhaus Pallas wie meine Familie sich gegen die Nazis wehrte by Amelie Fried, the story of the shoesellers Fried and their shop 'Pallas'; Amelie starts researching her family background and finds documents in different archives and relatives all over the world, she even didn't know they exist and survived. The battle first for their shop and then for their lives is fascinating; the story includes quotes from offical papers and letters of the time. Very good for everybody who is interested in that time period.
75) Maus by Art Spiegelamn; you were all right, this is much better than Croci's book. A real good story and well told. Definitely recommended

Congratulations on hitting 75, Paul!

Congrats!

Thanks. Great ... but do I have to stop reading now? I hope not, I would violate all prohibitions ... please forgive me when I go on reading. Thanks

No, don't stop now! Time for another 75 before the end of the year!

Stop reading? This group keep anyone from stopping? Never!

Congratulations on reaching the goal!

76) Sly : Roman by Banana Yoshimoto; some interesting thoughts about death, dying and Egypt; but otherwise not worth reading a second time

77) Die Eleganz des Igels by Muriel Barbery; there was so much talk about that one, that I had to read it mysel - and it is worth it; essayistic style, very 'deep thoughts', unexpected ending

#77: I am glad you enjoyed The Elegance of the Hedgehog! It is one of my favorites this year.

Yes, it definitely is one of my favorites, too. I would like to read it in French, but my French is not good enough. I first saw the French title: L'élégance du hérisson and the beginning in French: 'Je m'appelle Renée, j'ai 54 ans et je suis la concierge du 7 rue de Grenelle, un immeuble bourgeois. Je suis veuve, petite, laide, grassouillette, j'ai des oignons aux pieds et, à en croire certains matins auto-incommodants, une haleine de mammouth...' ah, c'est belle, cette langue .. but I never got it properly

#94: I would not be able to read it in French either. My schoolgirl French is just not up to the task.

#94 - Ooh, doesn't it sound lovely in French!
At school, we were obliged to read books in French (Voltaire, Alain-Fournier, Camus, Proust,...) It does help if you persist. After some 50 pages, you should get the hang of it. It's as if you come into "the French zone". But on the other hand translations should be ok (the English translation of Barbery's book by Alison Anderson was nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award anyway).

I finished another classic:
78) The invisible man by H. G. Wells; an interesting tale about a mad scientist turned criminel, great

79) Invisible by Paul Auster; it was highly praised but it somehow didn't struck me; the change of perspective (I, you, he) and style is interesting; the mystery is left open to a certain degree, well written - but, okay, not for me

#98: I have not yet read any of Auster's books. That one does not sound like a good place to start.

>99 alcottacre: You may read the reviews on the works page. The average rating is by 4 stars. It was too many topics packed into it (literature, management, incest, Provençale, Greek writers, Paris, etc.). The idea of showing a writer who tries to get to understand the life of a colleague is fine, but the working out was not to my liking.

What I read in May (just before I started this threat/thread):
80) Der Schwarm by Frank Schätzing; a great science fiction; a good plot, good characters, but the end is an anti-climax; it also has too many philosophical patches fighting Christianity, apparently because of negative experiences of the author; but a good read
81) Die Leidenschaften eines Bibliothekars by Allen Kurzweil; a librarian on the search of an old clock; good read, but not outstanding

Now I finished another book, a biography of a Korean pastor:
82) Ein Leben ist kostbarer als die ganze Welt by Jin-Hong Kim; he started out to help the poor in a slum in Seoul in being there and living among them; he brought food, nursed the sick, carried them to hospitals (on his back), lends them money - but nothing changes: the money disappears and is not invested; a man healed from tuberculosis starts drinking and beats his wife instead of supporting his family: Kim realises that only the Gospel of Jesus has the power to change the heart of the people; food and money helps them for the day, but the Gospel helps to get out of their misery; a very good read

#101: I will awake the dawn looks like one I would enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation, Paul.

83) Der Vorleser by Bernhard Schlink; a young man studies law and meets an ex-prison warder from Auschwitz; an interesting account of a German dealing with 'his' past; good read; I think that the sex in the beginning is actually a different theme and the characters (and I) could do without that

#103: I am glad you liked The Reader, Paul. I did too.

84) Der Fall Jane Eyre by Jasper Fforde; a Welsh fantasy mystery in which the third best (or worst?) villain 'jumps' into Jane Eyre and hijacks the main character and a special literatary agent has get her back in- well, imaginative writing, fun to read, a good plot, but the writing is a bit holperig (bumpy?) and unausgegoren (callow?); to be honest: I was intrigued by the double ff of his name when seeing the book on a shelf in the library; I also have Something rotten, so maybe I am going to read that pretty soon

#105: I like Fforde's Thursday Next series. I hope you continue to enjoy the books, Paul.

85) Die Totenleserin by Ariana Franklin; a historical mystery with a middle age 'bones', a good historical plot, sometimes a bit anachronistic (she uses modern names for places and things), a good read

#107: The Franklin series has been a bit hit and miss for me. I really liked book 1, thought book 2 was a let down, but felt she was back into form with book 3. I have not read book 4 yet.

Thanks for the hint; I will read further Franklins and maybe jump number two.

86) Tote aus Papier : Petra Delicado löst ihren vierten Fall by Alicia Giménez-Bartlett; a Spanish mystery, quite filled with 5 corpses and three murderers; I like inspectora Petra, but this book had just a bit too many twists and turns I found a bit far-fetched

87) Das Lied der Dunkelheit by Peter Brett; the first volume of a fantasy epos; the world is attacked by demons every night and no-one fights them until the Warded Man shows up. Good read

#110: I already have that one in the BlackHole. Unfortunately, the local library still does not have it yet. I am glad you enjoyed it, Paul!

88) Martinssümmerli u anderi Liebesgschichte by Elisabeth Müller;

a romantic story from the Berner Oberland, written in Swiss German (that takes me longer to read, I am not used to read Swiss German; in our family we use for sms and emails). Around the 11th November we have the martinssummer - the last mild weather of the year. Around that time the middle aged, unmarried Roseli gets a proposal from a batchelor; but when meeting for making plans they realize their total difference regards money. She has a little shop and helps all the needy people coming her way - he is living according to the principle: If everyone looks for himself, then everyone is helped (Es söll en jedere für sich luege, de isch für alli gsorget.) So, she sends him a refusal letter the next day, sad story (sniff).
Elisabeth Müller is(was) a well known Swiss author, writing a lot for yung people.

89) The disappearing spoon by Sam Keen. I first was intrigued by the different stories and tales about elements and chemists and physicists. But since I am not into chemistry or quantum mechanics, I didn't understand everything and the tales are (in my view) connected loosely with each other and the period table. I learned a few things about silver, lithium, rhenium, uranium and Einstein, Mendeelev, Bohr and Curie - but it never hit me as worth all that time.

#113: OK, I think I will skip that one.

I hope your next read is better for you, Paul!

90) Cushla and her books by Dorothy Butler; Thanks Cushla, you mentioned that one and when I saw a copy, I read it. It's an academic paper about a child with handicaps and her relations to books. The parents very soon started to introduce picture books to her. The baby couldn't use her arms and her sight was very limited, so experiencing the surrounding through her fingers, her mouth, her eyes was limited. With the constant help of her parents with books, she developped pretty good. Dryly written but interesting content. We also introduced our kids to books from very early on. I didn't read them but 'translate' them from English oder German into Swiss German. And all three are very fluent in all langauges they learned, spoken and written. It is very important to take time for your children in order to help them develop.

Finally I finished some reading (I'm reading fopur books at the same time again...)
91) Gebiete sanfte Herrin mir by Andrea Schacht; a German historical mystery. A merchant gets murdered, his sister-in-law sets out to find the murder. Intersting historical background (her brother gets himself dresserd in women's clothes in order to get some training as a midwife/midman); easy read; but I am afraid there are no translations of her books (yet)

I know how it goes reading multiple books at the same time, Paul!

Too bad about there not being any translations of Schacht's books. One of these days perhaps.

I have almost no time for rreading: My daughter is going to be married tomorrow and we have relatives from the US and Korea here. We have been on a Swiss tour to Lucerne, Interlaken, Aletsch, Verzasca, Misox, Via Mala.

But I finished one big book:
92) Priestess of the white by Trudi Canavan; the first book of a fantasy series. I liked it, my son is reading the second volume and I will do it after him (after the wedding and all the guests are gone).

Congratulations to your daughter and her intended, Paul! I am sure you have been very busy with wedding guests.

I read one of Trudi Canavan's trilogies earlier this year. I will have to look for the book you mentioned. Thanks!

Hi Paul,
Good luck for your daughter's wedding - I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow!!

I'll send you a message about catching up for lunch when your relatives have gone home - and mine. My parents arrive on Monday for their second visit to Basel this year!

>119 alcottacre: thanks.
I actually liked the Black Magicians trilogy better than the new one. But well, it may be getting better.

>120 cushlareads: thanks. I'll look forward to meeting you again and doing some catching up. Our relatives left for Italy now and will be back in ten days or so.

The wedding was just beautiful - the weather a bit cold, but dry and enough sun for making some good pictures. The two planned their church service very lively and personal. Then we hired an oldtimer tram and drove (? with a tram?) through the city of Basel. The evening reception took place in an old guild town house with great a meal and some old pictures of the two and some fun and action. Sigh, it's over now (and, phew, it's over now).

93) I never promised you a rose garden by Joanne Greenberg. I managed to finish a pocket book, a classic I had on my pile for ages. Because it was just a paperback, I could take it on the travels and now finished it. A real good insight into the mind of a shizophrene person and the struggle for healing.

#121: I am glad to hear that the wedding was beautiful and that the weather cooperated, Paul!

94) Dreizehn Stunden by Deon Meyer, a very good read; a South African mystery, translated from Africaans; an American tourist gets murdered and Captain Griessel (I guess, pronounced with a German 'ch' sound in the beginning of the name) has to solve the case. You also get some comments about being Black or White in the South African police; easy, enjoyable read

Glad to see you back. It has been a couple of weeks.

>124 alcottacre:
Yes, we had a lot to show to our guests here in Switzerland. The two young Koreans went to Rome and on their way back to Switzerland, they had to change trains in Milano. They had reserved accomodations at the youth hostel in Bellinzona (Switzerland). They wanted to get the ticket from a ticket machine in Milano and found Bellinzago there. But that is in Italy, near Novara. When they arrrived there they panicked and called us on the cellphone (we were up in the alps, enjoying coffee at a restaurant with a beautiful view over Central Switzerland). But Bellinzago wasn't on the street maps I have in my car, so we had to navigate them back to Milano (there was no proper train station in Bellinzago and not knowing the language...). When we arrived at home we checked the internet and were able to give them a telephone number of a Korean hostel in Milano who were so helpful as to pick them up at the train station in Milano. The girls were so scared they came back to Basel to next morning...

Here a picture of my daughter and her husband from the wedding:

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My two daugthers:

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Thanks for sharing the picture, Paul! What a beautiful bride your daughter made!

Congrats!

Gorgeous photos Paul!! And yikes, glad your friends got back to Basel ok.

Congratulations!

Thank you all.

95) Zimmer 411 by Simona Vinci; a short Italian novel, which I picked up because there was nothing better around - a woman choses to live in hotel room in Rome in order to be free (from men); some philosophical reasoning about her being a woman and her realtionships to the men she had. I got bored after a few pages, but I kept going and I finished it.

96) How bad are bananas? by Mike Berners-Lee. An interesting book about our carbon footprint of different things, like bananas, a pint of beer, eggs, a carcrash, deforestation etc. In these terms plastic bags are better than paper bags because plastic doesn't rot and so there is no methane (and other stuff) going up. It gives also some practical examples of how to get a lower carbon footprint. Climate change is happening but what to do about it, is still a big question (and needs some social and economic (re)thinking). Worthwhile reading, well, too many figures there to get going smoothly, it's more like a reference book

97) Swiss me by Roger Bonner. A little book by an American living here in Basel describing his experience with Swiss people in a funny way. Some quotes:
You know you have become a Swiss when:
- You don't take bath or flush the toilet after 10pm because it's against the apartment rules.
- You begin work before 8am and leave by 5pm.
- You say Grüetzi to perfect strangers when rambling through woods and fields.
- If you're British, you elbow your way into trams and buses and block excalators.
- If you're Australian, you start drinking beer out of a glass.
- If you're Japanese ... you leave work before your boss.
- You yodel in the shower.
- If you're from the U.S. you wish people en Guete or bon appétit before digging in and you use a knife and fork at the same time. You also think air conditioning is unhealthy.
- You panic when unemployment rises above 4%.
- If you're male, you always carry a Swiss Army knife ibn your pocket.

98) Seltsame Liebesgeschichten : fünf Erzählungen by Ida Frohnmeyer (1882-1968). Some old love stories, love among unlikely partners and in unlikely situations. Not much action but a lot of deep feelings. Ida was the daughter of a German-Swiss missionary couple, born in India

99) Totsein verjährt nicht by Freidrich Ani. A German mystery about a murdered girl and the sentencing the wrong guy for murdering her. Very good reading

I hope you have a good book picked out for #100, Paul!

Oh, I missed that - I thoughtlessly numbered the books. And - more oh - I missed my thinngaversary (or how that's called) last month.

I am reading four books at the same time (again, sigh): A 'Bones' mystery, a fantasy, a Korean-American novel and the book about globalization Cushla mentioned

Happy Belated Thingaversary!

Thanks.
What's the usual procedure here? Go out and buy the next 75 books for the 2011 challenge?
I'd prefer a thingaversary party: me providing all the food and everybody bringing a new book for me to read. So, anybody coming to Basel I invite for coffee or tea with a good piece of cake in a Basler confiserie

For each Thingaversary year, you buy a book + 1 for the upcoming year. So if it is your second Thingaversary, you get to treat yourself to 3 books.

I like the idea of a Thingaversary party though. Too bad Basel is so far from Texas!

Yes, I know. I was in New Braunfels and Seguin once - it was a very long journey. Do you know that most Presbyterian churches in Texas (German speaking) had ministers who were trained here in St. Chrischona near Basel?

100) 206 bones by Kathy Reichs. Temperance Brennan waking up in dark, narrow space, everything hurting. An intriguing story how she got there and who done it.

101) The surrendered by Chang-Rae Lee. A heartbreaking story about a child surviving the Korean war and her way through an orphanage to Italy (Solferino).The story is told flashbacks, a bit overdone. A good deal about violence, cruely and tragedies connected to the war and the dealing with the past. Good description of the psychological state of the characters and their dealings, but I didn't get into the style of his writing.

Another belated Happy Thingaversary, Paul! And, from above, you have two very beautiful daughters. Lucky man!

#142: I did not know about the Presbyterian ministers, but I am not at all surprised. Texas has several large towns/cities that were founded by Germans.

I lost you for a week - but congrats on hitting 100 books!!

I'll send you a PM now about that cake and coffee... I have had the lurgy but am almost all better now, and finally not overrun with school things and jobs.

Welcome back, Cushla

Lurgy? What's that? Sounds pretty bad. Ich schreibe Dir noch wegen eines Treffens nächste Woche.

Saturday will be the meeting of the Korean community here in Basel - I will be there as Santaclaus: I tell the kids a story (in Swiss German, my wife translates into Korean) and handout the gifts. The Korean food will be great.
That's the story I am going to tell:
102) Besuch von einem Weihnachtsengel von Christine Leeson


Oh, these touchstones

I am sick in bed (because of the lurgy which Cushla passed on to me), so I finished another book:
103) Eifel-Träume by berndorfjacques::Jacques Berndorf. Siggi Baumeister is a journalist and should write an article about the murder of a young girl in the neighboring village. So he interviews the different friends of the girl, neighbors. An accused commits suicide. A tricky mystery, good read

Sorry to hear you are not feeling well, Paul. I hope you get better soon!

Thanks for the good wishes. The doctor put me on drugs and to tell my moneygivers that I will not back to work till next Wednesday or Thursday. I cough and pant all day, so it's good that LT has no microphones attached. And my concentration span is limited (sitting at the computer is quite exhausting). At least, I brought the fever down.

OK, that lurgy is definitely not from me - for one thing, my moneygiver did not give me any time off but for another, he didn't need to. That sounds really awful. Hope you haven't run out of lemons and get better soon.

Bringing the fever down is a good first step. I hope that the other symptoms go away shortly too.

Thanks.
>150 cushlareads: well, I'd prefer your lurgy then. I wouldn't be of any use in the library, even worse in the shop. I prefer mandarins. But your right these citrus fruits really help.

I will miss church coffee on Sunday (I should help serving it, but coughing as I am, nobody would probably take a cup from me). Oh, well, better lay down again.

>152 paulstalder: *there there, pat pat* You need to rest. Eat as many mandarins as you can find! They will help a lot.

Thanks.
I had a dinner with the Korean ambassador yesterday. I swallowed some pills and there I was. Excellent food. I skipped the wine (I heard some rumors about pills and alcohol not liking each other). All the presidents of the different Korean groups were invited and my wife dragged me along.

Some good talk about Korean history and art. I hope to get some tips about Korean history books translated into English or German.

This morning I had troubles getting up - it was a bit too much yesterday, but definitely worthwhile.

It sounds like it was worth it, Paul, but I hope you'll be very lazy today and not give your case of the epizootics/lurgy a chance to get worse.

One of my father's wives was a Korean lady, a very nice and very smart history professor, and she gave me this book when I asked her for a good overview of Korea's history. A thrill-ride it is not, but solid and readable it is. I know von Zippenstein about German-language books about...well, most anything, really...but this one's the one in English I know about.

Thanks for the hint - I go out hunting some time after my bed-lurgy.

I read The coldest winter and found that very interesting. I did two terms Koreanistics at the University of Zürich ages ago. But I didn't read so much later on. Now, I am intrigued by the history of the Korean alphabet, printing and so. King Sejong was a very fascinating figure. Also the turtle ship is quite interesting - a swimming tank.
So you know Korean food? like kimchi, kimbab, chabze, bulgogi? mmhm

Where I used to live, in Austin, Texas, my brother and I went to Korea House restaurant once a month to eat bulgogi and, for me, as much kimchi as I could persuade them to give me. I love cabbage in all its forms.

They also made sashimi and sushi there. We got hooked on quail-egg rice rolls: a raw quail's egg nestled inside a seaweed-wrapped rice roll. Oh so good!

Since we're on Korean topics, I must ask if you have read The Red Queen? I enjoyed this Korean-history novel, though I can't recommend it unreservedly because there is a modern-day plot that I think wasn't a good idea. Still and all, worth your time to investigate, if not buy and read.

No, I don't know that one. I checked the catalog of our library and they have a copy. I make a note and look for it next week.

I finished another book:
104) Judge and jury by James Patterson, a thriller, a mafia boss gets caught and is on trial. But he manages to blow up the jury. There are far too many deaths in here. But the action is tight, fast and taking you in. The end is a bit dragging on. It's my first Patterson I have read, but I've got four more waiting somewhere to be read. But it's enough brutality for the moment.

I feel much better, but still being home. I was in the library I do some consultancy work. But I was totally exhausted after two hours. Tomorrow will be my day off, since I'll have to work next Saturday (compensation). The pills do help, also the inhaling of camomile tea - and staying warm inside (it's snowing out there and below zero).

Staying inside sounds like a good plan for you right now, Paul!

Yes, thanks. Snow is not as bad as in the Midwest. but it's freezing cold. I am glad I don't have to free my car from ice or anything like that. And I am glad that our turtoise (? correct for Wasserschildkröten) are inside, too. Even the cat didn't go out. It put its nose out the door and just turned back in.

Richard, I got The red queen by Margaret Drabble from the library and I am going to read it later.

>162 paulstalder: Oh good! I think you and I might be the only two people on LT who will discuss the poor, lonely book. ;-)

By the way, Paul, I really hope you'll be in the 2011 group...the new 2011 forum is up and filling up fast! It's making life interesting in keeping up with the thread-reading, but I think it's a very good idea to get a thread going before the New Year. (But that's just because I want to be sure to star your thread early!)

Adding my encouragement that you join the 2011 group too, Paul, if you have not already.

Hi there, thank you very much for the encouragement. I will have a look and also start a new threa(t)d - I enjoy being part of this community, read about different books and world views, get hints and ideas, and - if only to fill Richard's files.

#165: if only to fill Richard's files.

As good a reason as any to join the 2011 group!

Working in the library again. And just looked into a book, someone else ordered:

105) Gotthard : als die Bahn erbaut wurde photographs by Adolphe Braun. A nice little book about the building of the Gotthard railway. 1st June 1882 was the opening of that important railway through the Alps. As one Josef Wipfli wrote back then:
Frei ist der eiserne Pfad,
Eile, geflügeltes Rad!
Rings um den Erdenrund
knüpfe den Völkerbund!
(Free is the iron road,
hurry, winged wheel.
Around the ball of the earth
knit the union of the peoples.)
Big words at that time. The main part of the book are photographs of that time from the Lake of Zug, over the Gotthard to Bellinzona.

106) Last of the wilds, a fantasy by Trudi Canavan, the 2nd volume in the 'Age of Five' series. I like fantasy, but this one somehow didn't get to me. Especially her realm of the gods is not coherent. Ah well, it was fun to read as long as I didn't think too much.

#168: it was fun to read as long as I didn't think too much

I think we all need reads like that, Paul!

Yes, you're right. But somehow I expected more - I liked her Black Magician Trilogy very much, and now in both of her 'new' series I didn't feel home. Maybe reading the last of the trilogy helps? Well, I better read some other stuff before I go for Canavan again.

I have only read her Black Magician trilogy, the only books of hers my local library has, so I have nothing to compare them to.

I finished another book, I started some days ago:
107) Two little girls in blue by Mary Higgins Clark, 3-year-old twins get kidnapped and a huge ransom sum is asked for them. Very good suspense, but a bit too many players in the game.

>168 paulstalder: I call those sorts of books my "disappointing execution" reads, and they make me madder than mad. If an idea isn't well worked out, DON'T WRITE THE DRATTED BOOK until it is!!!!!!

Truly, though, it's not basically the author's fault, it's the editor's fault. No author does as well as he or she can without a good second set of eyes to catch the holes in the stockings of one's writing.

I have been to the dentist this morning: Some good news, the 'promised' Wurzelbehandlung (treatment of the root) wasn't necessary. He filled the hole with a kind of Kunststoff (plastic?) which was hardened through light from leds. Interesting material they use nowadays.


108) Gottes Stimme hören by William Lerrick, a little book about how I can understand God's talking to me. Very well written.

Argh, why does the touchstone lead to the wrong book?? The book I read is by Lerrick, not by Olsen

Because touchstones are the Devil's playground, that's why they lead to the wrong book despite our poor best efforts!

109) Zehn by Andrej Longo. A book about life in Napoli, Italy. The author wrote 10 stories, each titled according to one of the 10 commandments (Catholic counting). Very disturbing stories, each showing characters in everyday life situations with (almost) no hope. One woman sees her husband only Tuesdays since 16 years - no way that is going to change. One man doesn't realize the change in Naples (more Mafia) until his old friend returns from Afghanistan and get killed because he tried to save his car from being stolen. Very well written, but after every story you feel at a loss

>110 paulstalder:) Mittlere Reife by Willi Heinrich. Heinrich started to write after World War II and became quite well known in Germany. His later novels were not as intense as those from the beginning (writing about his experience in war).
A girl wakes up one day and decides to throw her job, leave her boyfriend and wants to live the dolce vita. She becomes 'housegirl' for rich people, she even gets adopted by an old rich man (and becomes a Baroness). Heinrich describes the high society of the nobles and industry tycoons and their lives. A lot of money, a lot of time, but not a lot of morals.
It's well written, if you like Gesellschaftsromane, a humorous description of a part of society - only the dog on the cover gets killed, and there is a happy end.

111) Kindergeschichten by Peter Bichsel; very well written short stories for children and adults. Bichsel is a well known Swiss author, writing modern German literature. These seven Kindergeschichten are written in simple German, so as for children, but with a very good density and intensitivity. A really good read for all those who like to try to read German.
I had it lying around for ages (since Nov. 2008).

#178: I had it lying around for ages (since Nov. 2008).

I have several that have been at my house longer than that - and I do not have the excuse that they are in German!

Yes, there are older ones, too. I get books and keep them for different reasons (Swiss literature, someone recommended it to me, good Christian background, gift from a friend...) and then I never have time (I mean, never take time). So there are books from Gotthelf, Schiller, Mann, C. S. Lewis, Lloyd-Jones, Shaekespeare, Bronte ... around somewhere. I gave up on the French ones - I like listening to French, but reading it is just too much work.

#180: around somewhere

I understand that completely!

Hi Paul, I just wanted to let you know I just ordered The Brother Gardeners by Andrea Wulf, the book you recommended to me way back in June. It's my first internet-order for a book ever (never really needed it because I live close to many well-provided libraries and book-shops, but this one was hard to find). I'm really looking forward to this book. Thanks very much for pointing it out to me. Happy New Year and let's keep in touch in 2011.

Hi Joey, great to be of service. So you make a new online experience. I hope you enjoy the book. Happy New Year to you, too.

112) Meine russischen Nachbarn by Wladimir Kaminer. A humourous little book about Russians and Belorussians living in Berlin, Germany. They try to accomodate their culture with the German way of life. Some clichés, some boring parts, but a funny read.
I saw the cat on the cover and thought that I can read that as an animal-challenge. The cat doesn't play a role in the book.

My last two books last year:
113) Schweinekrieg by Guido Seyerle, a German mystery about fallouts among pig-breeding farmers.
114) Black and blue by Iain Ranking, a Scottish mystery about drugs. murders and the oil industry.

#184: 114 books is a great total for the year, Paul. Congratulations!

1) 동강의 아이들 by 김재홍
2) Der Hobbit : Comic by J. R. R. Tolkien
3) Dark City : das Buch der Prophetie by Damaris Kofmehl
4) Die Tränen des Lichts by Damaris Kofmehl
5) Das Magdalena-Evangelium by Kathleen McGowan
6) Die dritte Jungfrau by Fred Vargas
7) Sehnsucht nach Gott by John Piper
8) This book is overdue! by Marilyn Johnson
9) Entmannt by Brian K. Vaughan
10) Tage wie diese by Brian K. Vaughan
11) Ein kleiner Schritt by Brian K. Vaughan
12) Offenbarungen by Brian K. Vaughan
13) Extrablatt by Brian K. Vaughan
14) Das Herz eines Taxifahrers by Philippe Tome
15) Die Beine der Tänzerin by Philippe Tome
16) Herr Hummel by Alex Macartney
17) Herr Hummel macht Ferien by Alex Macartney
18) Hips Hops und Gopselmusik by Alex Macartney
19) The complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
20) Abgeschoben und verachtet by Walter Iseli
21) Der fremde Gast by Charlotte Link
22) Zarte Blume Hoffnung by Hardy Krüger
23) Matilda by Roald Dahl
24) Der kleine Mann by Erich Kästner
25) Der Schimmelreiter by Theodor Storm
26) Jeder Kuss ein Treffer by Janet Evanovich
27) One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
28) Was man Liebe nennt by C. S. Lewis
29) Schwarz auf rot by Qiu Xialong
30) Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xialong
31) Globis lustige Streiche im Narrendorf by Robert Lips
32) Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
33) Das dreizehnte Dorf by Romain Sardou
34) The green mile by Stephen King
35) Marcio - ich will leben! by Damaris Kofmehl
36) Helvetiastrasse 17 by Jacob Fischer
37) Jabez by Thom Lemmons
38) Nur noch einmal by Ulla Fröhling
39) Die steile Himmelsleiter : eine ehrliche Biographie the autobiography of Adrian Plass
40) Kulturschock Brasilien by Carl D. Goerdeler
41) Der verbotene Ort by Fred Vargas
42) Die schwarzen Wasser der Seine by Fred Vargas
43) Auschwitz by Pascal Croci
44) Der Schatten des Windes by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
45) Die älteste Eisenbahn auf Schweizer Boden, 1844 - die neueste Bahnstrecke in Basel, 1994 by Hansrudolf Schwabe
46) Der Till vo Basel by Felix Burckhardt
47) Der Richter aus Paris by Ulrich Wickert
48) Der Sturz des Imam by Nawal El-Saadawi
49) Aishah, the beloved of Mohammed by Nabia Abbott
50) Mohammed : eine Biographie by Hans Jansen
51) Miss Daisy und der Mord im Flying Scotsman by Carola Dunn
52) Ich werde hier sein im Sonnenschein und im Schatten by Christian Kracht
53) The good husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith
54) The suicide of reason by Lee Harris
55) Eiger, Mord & Jungfrau : Kriminalroman by Paul Wittwer
56) Aufbruch in die Gegenwart, ed by Peter Herzog
57) Im Laufschritt durch Peking by Xu Zechen
58) Blickfänger : Fotografien in Basel aus zwei Jahrhunderten
59) Hundstage by Alicia Giménez Bartlett
60) Codex Regius by Arnaldur Indriðason
61) Nächte mit Spoon : Roman by Amy Yamada
62) Mini : Das Original unter den Kleinwagen - seit 50 Jahren by Christof Vieweg
63) Solaris : Hörspiel by Stanisław Lem
64) Ein König für Deutschland : Roman by Andreas Eschbach
65) Der Mann, der niemals lebte : Thriller by David Ignatius
66) Das Geheimnis des Cagliostro by Michael Schneider
67) Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
68) Die fünfte Variable by Christophe Badoux
69) Die materiellen Verhältnisse und Vortheile für Einwanderer im Staate Kentucky, Ver. Staaten v. Amerika ed. by Karl L. Franke
70) Das Schweigen des Lemming by Stefan Slupetzky
71) Cassie by Misty Bernall
72) Kennedys Hirn by Henning Mankell
73) Der Lavagänger by Steinhard Stöckel
74) Schuhhaus Pallas : wie meine Familie sich gegen die Nazis wehrte by Amelie Fried
75) Maus by Art Spiegelman
76) Sly : Roman by Banana Yoshimoto
77) Die Eleganz des Igels by Muriel Barbery
78) The invisible man by H. G. Wells
79) Invisible by Paul Auster
80) Der Schwarm by Frank Schätzing
81) Die Leidenschaften eines Bibliothekars by Allen Kurzweil
82) Ein Leben ist kostbarer als die ganze Welt by Jin-Hong Kim
83) Der Vorleser by Bernhard Schlink
84) Der Fall Jane Eyre by Jasper Fforde
85) Die Totenleserin by Ariana Franklin
86) Tote aus Papier : Petra Delicado löst ihren vierten Fall by Alicia Giménez-Bartlett
87) Das Lied der Dunkelheit by Peter Brett
88) Martinssümmerli u anderi Liebesgschichte by Elisabeth Müller
89) The disappearing spoon by Sam Keen
91) Gebiete sanfte Herrin mir by Andrea Schacht
92) Priestess of the white by Trudi Canavan
93) I never promised you a rose garden by Joanne Greenberg
94) Dreizehn Stunden by Deon Meyer
95) Zimmer 411 by Simona Vinci
96) How bad are bananas? by Mike Berners-Lee
97) Swiss me by Roger Bonner
98) Seltsame Liebesgeschichten : fünf Erzählungen by Ida Frohnmeyer (1882-1968)
99) Totsein verjährt nicht by Friedrich Ani
100) 206 bones by Kathy Reichs
101) The surrendered by Chang-Rae Lee
102) Besuch von einem Weihnachtsengel by Christine Leeson
103) Eifel-Träume by Jacques Berndorf
104) Judge and jury by James Patterson
105) Gotthard : als die Bahn erbaut wurde photographs by Adolphe Braun
106) Last of the wilds by Trudi Canavan
107) Two little girls in blue by Mary Higgins Clark
108) Gottes Stimme hören by William Lerrick
110) Mittlere Reife by Willi Heinrich
111) Kindergeschichten by Peter Bichsel
112) Meine russischen Nachbarn by Wladimir Kaminer
113) Schweinekrieg by Guido Seyerle
114) Black and blue by Iain Ranking