So... I thought to myself ... hey, what about German books !?
Or more accurately ... what about books for when you're learning German.
Or maybe ..... the best books to read once you've got going ?
Or .... most of them might be old favourites you'd like to read again.
I suppose, it being a much more restricted field of knowledge compared to the whole of world literature, we would have to have a smaller shelf ....
O Weh, O Weh !
So, dear readers ..... if you had only 1 foot (30cm) of shelf space, which German books would you choose to fill it ?
That's a hell of a question ... it all depends ....
If you're getting started, you might prefer a basic course book or two, plus a dictionary, and then a range of children's books to give you an entertaining start. You could get loads of them on your one-foot-shelf . Maybe a dual-language book or two .
If you were a bit more more advanced you might like to have a mix of learning-books and novels.
Or, if you're quite advanced, you might want mostly more challenging works.
I think it's an "interesting" task, to make your own personal selection .......
Come to think of it, it's a bit like that Desert Island Disc thing ... they get given the bible ( or equivalent) and just 1 other book. BUT .... you're getting a whole FOOT of shelf, you jammy devils.
Anyway, I'm going to assemble my own foots-worth ... I've already assembled a heap of possibles, but that "heap" is far too big ... so I'm at the Whittling-it-down stage. I have already made my French selection though ... here they are, as an example of how, or how not maybe, to do it ..... notice the 1 foot/30 cm ruler along the bottom !
I've picked a lot of BD's, a couple of (thin) grammar books, some slang books, some novels, the French version of The House at Pooh Corner , a huge compilation of Petit Nicolas books, two Lara Schmitt books ... usw ....
You'll also notice there no sign of a French "Course" up there ..and that's because I've never found one. French "Course Books" are, in my opinion, rubbish, boring, dull and gormless.
So ... that's the idea. I hope you will have a " German" go yourself... it's tricky, but interesting. And I also think it would be good if you could photograph your line-up .... and send it to me ...then I could put it on here for others ( and me) to admire ..and we'd all get new ideas for things to read . By that time I will have done mine as well. email ..... [email protected]
Vergessen zu vermissen. Mal im Ernst wer kann das schon?
Trag den Kopf in all den Wolken und die Füße im Beton.
Was ich bräucht' wär ein zuhause, sowas ähnliches wie Glück.
Es gibt für beides einen Ort "zurück."
Wir leisten uns Geschichten, die nie weitergehen,
Weil wir in Ländern waren und uns alles endlos schien.
Wir wissen nicht wohin.
Wir gönnen uns ein Leben das zum Sterben ist.
Sterbenselend, sterbenstraurig, sterbensalbern ist.
Wohin?
Und in Hunderttausend Betten,
Hinter hunderttausend Wänden, küssen hunderttausend Mädchen,
Hunderttausend Typen wach.
Und es wär' mir egal, wenn nicht eine davon du wärst.
Oh, es wär' mir egal.
All die Filme, all die Lieder, alle sprechen über dich.
Sie erzählen mir, dass es gut wird.
Wie das geht, erklären sie nicht.
Und nur kurz bevor ich's einseh', nur ein winzig kleines Stück,
Da ist und bleibt das eine Wort "zurück."
Wir leisten uns Geschichten, die weitergehen, wenn wir am Ende waren,
Als alles endlos schien.
Wir wissen nicht wohin.
Wir gönnen uns ein Leben, das zum Sterben ist.
Sterbenselend, sterbenstraurig, sterbensalbern ist.
Wohin?
Und in Hunderttausend Betten,
Hinter hunderttausend Wänden, küssen hunderttausend Mädchen,
Hunderttausend Typen wach.
Und es wär' mir egal, wenn nicht eine davon du wärst.
Oh, es wär mir egal.
Und nach hunderttausend Träumen,
In hunderttausend langen Nächten,
Halten hunderttausend Zweifel
Hunderttausend Typen wach.
Und es wär' mir egal, wenn nicht einer davon ich wär.
Oh, es wär' mir egal.
Oh, es wär' mir egal.
When I'm not doing all this, I'm birding .... here's my 30cm birding book selection ... just for a laugh ..