Keeping track of my reading in 2024 was both fun and helped me read more consciously – so it only makes sense to continue in 2025…
My goals for this year include carrying on reading comics in French, carry on exploring ancient classics (next on the list in that regard is The Iliad) and also to keep pushing myself to read outside of my comfort zone.
Werbung wegen Markennennung. Considered advertising due to naming of brands.
Voyage in the Dark, by Jean Rhys
Jean Rhys’s third novel deals with similar themes to her other three novels from the beginning of her career, Quartet, After Leaving Mr Mackenzie and Good Morning, Midnight. Indeed – all four of these novels belong together as part of a quartet. This time, Rhys’s heroine, Anna, is only 18 years old but already exploited by the cardboard-cutout men that surround her and vulnerable. The glimpses back to Anna’s childhood in the Caribbean are like splashes of colour in her new English life and almost certainly draw on Rhys’s own childhood experiences in Dominica.
These flashbacks reach their highpoint at the end of the novel when memories of wild music and whirling dances take hold of Anna’s mind as she lies extremely ill and in pain.
I have a biography of Rhys sitting on my to-read pile. It might also be worthwhile rereading ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’, which I read years ago, but this time with a better grasp of who the author was.
Der dritte Roman von Jean Rhys.
Caroline Baldwin Sammelband III, André Taymans
Bestehend aus den Episoden Wiedersehen in Kathmandu, Unheilsame Therapie, Grenzgänger und Der König des Nordens, dieser Sammelband ist sehr kurzweilig.
Taymans ligne claire Stil ist ziemlich stilisiert, aber funktioniert perfekt, um die Geschichten in der normalen Welt zu ankern (und nicht in einer düsteren ‘Krimi-Welt’).
The third collected volume of Caroline Baldwin comics. As far as I can tell, they have never been translated into English.
Service Model, by Adrian Tchaikovsky
A fun post apocalyptic adventure in which a robot valet goes looking for purpose (ideally in the form of a new position as gentleman’s valet) after having inexplicably murdered his master. Lots of nods to classic sci-fi such as Asimov’s laws of robotics and turns of phrase highly reminiscent of Douglas Adams. Tchaikovsky manages to balance humour well with the more serious elements of the plot – although part of me was wondering how a less humorous version of the story might have felt…. something a little more like ‘The Road’ by Cormac McCarthy.
Overall an entertaining read for fans of robots and/or post apocalyptic settings.
Eine unterhaltsame Geschichte über einen robotischen Diener, der aus unerklärlichen Gründen seinen Herrn ermordet und auf die Suche nach einer neuen Einstellung geht. Für Fans von Robotern und/oder postapokalyptischen Settings.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling
Read aloud to my children. What can I really say about Harry Potter… possibly the most famous literary character of the last 50 years or so? My boys, 5 and 12 were both enthralled. But I can’t do Scottish accents, despite warming up with bouts of ‘I’m a rover’ and ‘My name is Jock Stewart’… so McGonagall just sounds… wrong. Sorry boys!
Laut vorgelesen – meine Jungs waren begeistert. Ein tolles Buch für Kinder!
Down and Out in Paris and London, by George Orwell
An autobiographic account of Eric Arthur Blair’s (George Orwell’s real name) experiences destitute and then working as a plongeur (dish washer) in Paris and then as a tramp in England. Apparently he rearranged events and changed a few details to make a more interesting story (and also because he didn’t want his parents to know how he lost his money in Paris). Fascinating, full of filth, bed bugs and working conditions that would be unthinkable nowadays. In the back of my mind, I realised that, to quote Pulp, ‘If you called your dad he could stop it all’; Orwell didn’t need to be tramping around England – it was journalistic research. This is very clear in he second half detailing his time in England – it feels like a journalistic exposé – a direct appeal to the middle classes with solutions on how to reform the system. This doesn’t lessen the impact of what he describes though.
I found the first half in Paris especially interesting. Dealing with the same city and period as Jean Rhys in her novels of that period – yet with a huge contrast between the challenges faced by Rhys’s impoverished lower middle class protagonists, reliant on men and lacking self agency, and Orwell, who positioned himself at the very bottom of society, experiencing the hunger and destitution from which there was little to no protection.
Ein (semi) autobiografischer Bericht über die Erfahrungen von Eric Arthur Blair (George Orwells richtiger Name), als mittellose Plongeur (Tellerwäscher) in Paris und dann als Landstreicher in England. Sehr interessant, mit vielen Bettwanzen…
Breakfast at Tiffany’s, by Truman Capote
A perfectly crafted and thought provoking novella about one of those people that flit into our lives; those rare free spirits who defy convention or expectation and leave us feeling touched by something rather special and fae-like, but who we also sense hide depths of pain in their souls. Holly Golightly is one of these individuals.
We are never told the name of the story’s narrator. Holly Golightly gives him the name Fred, and that seems perfectly natural, for, through the eyes of the narrator we see how Holly exerts as sort of powerful gravity that shapes reality around her.
And yet the well of pain is there, brushed over maybe, but there. Only 18 at the start of the story, a child bride at 14 and with hints of having engaged in sexual intercourse even before then (and as children cannot under any circumstances be consensual partners in such an activity, one must conclude that she was abused), I can’t help but feel that the Holly persona is a construct, woven by our protagonist (albeit with outside help) to escape her past and cope with the world.
Overall a mesmerising novella which seems so simple and yet has depths that will leave you deep in thought.
Also worth mentioning is the gorgeous Folio Society edition of this novella that I read. I picked it up in their January sale. Sewn binding, hard cover with a beautiful design, gorgeous illustrations and a slip case. Wow! I will be buying more from the Folio Society. The prices might be steep – but they are worth it.
Eine großartige Novelle über eine Protagonistin, Holly Golightly, die eine ungeheurere Anziehungskraft an ihren Mitmenschen ausübt, vor allem an dem namenslosen Erzähler. Insgesamt eine Novelle, die so einfach erscheint und doch eine Tiefe hat, die einen zum Nachdenken anregt.
Mysterieuese: matin, midi et soir, par Jean-Claude Forest
Basé sur le roman L’Île mystérieuse de Jules Verne, mais avec le sens de la fantaisie absurde et créative habituel de Forest. Une île en forme de point d’interrogation, un arbre géant, des pirates, des robots… beaucoup de mystère et…. Barbarella elle-même. Une lecture amusante ! Les dessins sont, bien sûr, excellents – typiques de Forest.
Based on the novel L’Île mystérieuse by Jules Verne – but with Forest’s usual absurdly creative sense of fantasy. (This comic has, as far as I can tell, never been translated to English or German, only to Italian – in the Italian version of Pilot magazine). A giant tree, an island shaped like a question mark, pirates, robots, plenty of mystery and…. Barbarella herself. A great read and excellently drawn.
The Descent of Inanna Into the Underworld
Ever since having read The Epic of Gilgamesh I wanted to read more Sumerian and Akkadian texts – translated obviously! One character that intrigued me in the Gilgamesh epic was Ishtar / Inanna. Inanna, Queen of Heaven, was the ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, fertility and sensuality, later becoming / heavily influencing the Phoenician goddess Astarte, and eventually the Greek Goddess Aphrodite. The Descent of Inanna (or Ishtar in the later and in my opinion inferior Akkadian version) tells us about Inanna’s descent into the underworld, the domain of her sister Ereshkigal. There is reason to believe that this myth might even be the oldest surviving myth in the world.
A short text, it is nevertheless worth tracking down various translations – unless you are fluent in Sumerian and Akkadian cuneiform – as comparing different translations helps get a feel for the exact meaning as well as the poetry of the piece.
Die Geschichte von der Göttin Inanna und ihren Gang in die Unterwelt. Inanna war die mesopotamische Göttin des Krieges und der Liebe und spielt unter anderem eine wichtige Rolle in dem Epos von Gilgamesch.
Ekhö Monde Miroir 4: Barcelona. Scénario: Christophe Arleston, Dessin: Alessandro Barbucci
Encore une BD du monde miroir que j’ai lue en français. L’histoire est amusante et les dessins sont comme toujours superbes. Ce tome est probablement mon préféré de la série jusqu’à présent.
Noch ein Spiegelwelt-Comic, auf Französisch gelesen. Dieser Band ist mein Lieblingsband der Reihe bist jetzt. Großartige Zeichnungen, amusante Geschichte – macht Spaß!
Minoan and Mycenaean Art (New Revised Edition) by Reynold Higgins
A fascinating guide to Minoan (Cretan) and Mycenaean Art (Greek bronze age), covering all of the different types of the period such as architecture, pottery, jewellery, frescos, etc. The Cretans in particular had an exuberant flair and artistic style that is undeniable and still impressive to this day.
L’INCAL: tome 1 – l’incal noir, Scénario: Jodorowsky, Dessin: Mœbius
Peut-être la meilleure bande dessinée de science-fiction de tous les temps ? Oui… peut-être ! J’ai déjà lu l’Incal en allemand, mais c’est la première fois que je le lis en français. Il est tout aussi extraordinaire que la première fois que je l’ai lu – à recommander vivement !
Eventuell der beste Sci-fi-Comic überhaupt! Ich habe ihn schon mal auf Deutsch gelesen – und jetzt zum ersten Mal auf Französisch – genauer gesagt, habe ich jetzt erst Band 1 von 6 (?) auf Französisch – ein paar Einkaufstouren in Frankreich oder Belgien sind jetzt angesagt! Total empfehlenswert!
Das Mykenische Hellas, Heimat der Helden Homers
Ein Katalog einer Ausstellung zum Thema Mykenische Kunst aus dem Jahr 1988. Die Fotos sind toll und ergänzen das Buch ‘Minoan and Mycenaean Art’ von Reynold Higgins perfekt. Die wissenschaftlichen Beiträge sind auch interessant, aber ich habe sie mit Vorsicht genossen, da es sich bestimmt was getan hat in den letzten 37 Jahren auf diesem Gebiet. Trotzdem, geben die tollen Fotos einen guten Eindruck von der Welt in der die Helden Homers lebten.
A catalogue with fantastic photos of Mycenaean art fron an exhibition in 1988.
Assassine, Patrick Delperdange / André Taymans
Un récit sombre et mystérieux avec un retournement final… je pense que cette bande dessinée ferait un excellent film. Les dessins d’André Taymans sont, comme toujours, superbes.
A dark and mysterious tale with a plot twist at the end… I think this comic would make an excellent film. André Tayman’s art is, as always, perfect.
Percy Bysshe Shelley, Selected Poems edited by John Heath-Stubbs
A volume of selected poems by the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, published in 1948. I feel that I might be a bit of a Philistine. I feel that Shelley’s poems have flashes of brilliance, but only flashes. Too often, I feel that his poems lose their way in overwrought flights of fantastical symbolism. There are though, as mentioned, those flashes of brilliance that make me wonder how his style might have changed over time, had he lived.
Highlights for me are Ozymandias, The Cloud, and the poems dedicated to his son, William, who died at the age of three. Particularly these two poems dispense of the frippery and make me feel a connection to Shelley the human being.
Lanfeust von Troy, Band 1 – Das Elfenbein des Magohamoth, Szenario: Christophe Arleston, Zeichnungen: Didier Tarquin
Ach je… noch eine unterhaltsame Serie aus der Feder von Christophe Arleston. In einer Fantasy Welt wo jede Person eine Zauberkraft besitzt, entdeckt der Schmied Lanfeust, dass er, wenn er den aus Magohamoth-Knochen bestehenden Griff eines bestimmten Schwertes in den Händen hält, über die totale Kraft verfügt.
Mit tollen Charakteren und viel Humor, macht der erste Band dieser Serie wirklich Spaß!
Ich sollte eigentlich diese Serie auf Französisch lesen, aber die ersten drei Bände gab es in einem 3-für-1 Deal auf Deutsch…
Die Zeichnungen von Didier Tarquin sind großartig. Etwas ‘comichafter’ als in seiner Serie UCC Delores, aber trotzdem spitze!
A fun fantasy comic by written by Christophe Arleston. Excellent illustrations by Dider Tarquin.
First Quarter Review: Six bandes dessinées, two science-fiction / fantasy novels, three works of literary fiction, two works of non-fiction (about ancient Greek art), an ancient poem and a volume of poetry by Shelley. Of these, eight were in English, three in German and four in French. I started the year off strongly, reading lots in January, then slowed down somewhat, taking my time over two larger reading projects which I have not yet finished. Plans for the next quarter: basically continue as I have started the year – especially when it comes to working my way through the works of the ancient world.
Lanfeust von Troy, Band 2 Thanos, der Rebell & Band 3 – Schloss Blaugold, Szenario: Christophe Arleston, Zeichnungen: Didier Tarquin
Die Geschichte von Lanfeust, Cixi und co. geht weiter. Kurzweilig und toll gezeichnet!
The story of Lanfeust, Cixi and co. continues. Fun and excellently drawn!
The Iliad by Homer. Translation by Caroline Alexander.
Ah what a monumental, amazing work and yet… it also made my want to scream from time to time. Please note: I am not making an attempt to discuss this with academic neutrality – I am merely setting down some random thoughts and feelings I had as a reader.
First things first – I did a fair amount of research before settling on the translation by Caroline Alexander. I suggest that anyone who wants to read this work puts in this little bit of extra effort to find a prose/poetry style that suits their tastes. Often it is a choice between strict adherence to the ancient Greek and poetical style. Not an easy choice to make. Alexander’s translation is extremely readable and I can heartily recommend it from this perspective.
As to the Iliad itself – it is a mixture of tedium (a whole chapter devoted to listing practically everyone in each army, their parent’s, interesting pots they own, etc….) and fantastic chapters in which the Greek gods take centre stage. The gods are so interesting. When Diomedes wounds Aphrodite with his speer for example, I was on the edge of my seat. Or the fascinating scene in which Hephaestus forges new, incredibly detailed armour for Achilles at the behest of his mother Thetis. These could easily be scenes from really good, modern fantasy novels.
The rest is non-stop battle. I feel that the work could do with a second title: ‘1001 ways to brutally kill someone with a speer of bronze’. It is brutal. Really brutal. Non-stop slaughter, slavery, women being treated as the spoils of war, killing prisoners or war, and more slaughter. I lost count of the number of places a speer can be rammed into a human body. Several of them projected themselves vividly onto my mind’s eye, with ‘through the teeth’ taking first place.
There are no ‘good guys’ in the story either – they are all bloodthirsty killers. If I had to pick a side, it would be that of Troy. The Achaeans (Mycenaean Greeks) are pretty much Klingons – they glory in warfare and celebrate individuals like Achilles, who have ‘sacking cities’ and ‘capturing innocents and selling them into slavery’ on the hobbies and interests section of their CVs. But then what did I expect? This is a Mycenaean Greek work after all. If it were a product of the ancient Minoan civilisation instead, it would be a lot more mellow, with trippy octopuses, topless priestesses, and the action scenes would involve some ballsy bull-leaping and maybe some tricky pottery classes.
But enough of the negativity. While most of the characters are killers, and several are totally petulant killers, they are not two dimensional. In fact, they are surprisingly well fleshed out. Their warlike personalities are probably those of standard Mycenaean warriors and raiders. But underneath (or on top of?) that, they are fathers and sons, with histories and emotional depth, who often struggle with the decisions and would prefer to be far away from the blood-soaked battlefield.
Random thought: At one point a river tries to kill Achilles, because the river is horrified at the blood and slaughter and mounds of corpses choking the river thanks to Achilles’s revengeful rampage. Never before have I rooted so much for a river.
Crappy novels sometimes have blurbs telling prospective readers that the book in question is a ‘rollercoaster of a book’. Well… the Ilias really IS a rollercoaster of a work. With lows and highs and excitement and sections that took my breath away. I have The Odyssey sitting looking at me now. But I think I need a palette cleanser or two first. Something calm with no speers in site.
The Postman Always Rings Twice, by James M. Cain
I picked this novel up in the Folio Society sale at the beginning of this year. I have never seen the film – I just took a risk. After having read The Iliad, I wanted to get away from the piles of slain Greeks…. I needed a palette cleanser. So it was with some amusement that I noted that the murder victim in this crime novel is Greek.
This is not a detective novel. Rather, it is a hard-boiled crime novel that feels fresh and vibrant 91 years after its original publication. The narrative doesn’t waste time – it moves briskly, pulling the reader into a destructive sex affair and an ensuing crime. An excellent, stylish read that had a bit of a sting in the tail at the end.
The Folio Society edition is, as always, gorgeous.
Ein toller Krimi, der rasant und gar nicht altbacken ist. Dieser Roman ist aber kein Detektivroman – sondern die Geschichte eines Mordes.
Dawn, by Octavia E. Butler
An intriguing, thought-provoking sci-fi novel, this is the first volume in a trilogy, but works perfectly well on its own too.
On one level, this is a novel with great world-building and really interesting aliens. On a deeper level, it examines the human condition and what it means to be human, sex and gender, colonialism, consent and race… all without detracting from the story.
I have already ordered the next volume.
Ein Sci-fi-Roman mit Tiefgang, der untersucht was es bedeutet Mensch zu sein, Sex und Gender, Kolonialismus, die Einwilligung bei sexuellen Handlungen und Ethnizität… alles ohne, dass die Geschichte dabei leidet.
Cometa, by Elie Huault
Une bande dessinée d’une beauté époustouflante publiée ce mois-ci. Le style de Huault me rappelle Moebius, les premiers travaux d’Enki Bilal et aussi un peu Raymond Briggs. Avec moins de 100 mots au total, ce volume est plus un festin visuel qu’une bande dessinée normale.
A stunningly beautiful comic published this month (April 2025). Huault’s style reminds me of moebius, the early work of Enki Bilal and also a little of Raymond Briggs. With less than 100 words in total, this volume is more of a visual feast than a normal comic.