He who binds to himself a joy
Doth the winged life destroy.
He who kisses the joy as it flies,
Lives in eternity's sunrise.
William Blake (1757-1827)
I also have some book news:
Ahab's Wife (1999) by Sena Jeter Naslund. I read this during my first few weeks here in Germany, and it helped me get through the jet lag and disorientation. It is "a great read" in so many ways. It is written like historical fiction, but it is actually fiction about fiction--since Ahab refers to Melville's Moby Dick. The critic in me felt like that part didn't work, but the story and the writing are very engaging.
Stine (1890) by Theodor Fontane. German literature fans know Theodor Fontane (1819-1898) is a famous German author who wrote the classic Effie Briest. The theme of this short work is typical of Fontane: the disastrous fate of the individual who acts in a way that society does not approve of. While this novel was not as successful as many of his others, the Fontane style is enjoyable, and it's also fun trying to decipher the parts written in Berlin dialect.
Moo (1995) by Jane Smiley. What a fantastic spoof of academic life! Smiley pulls this off with subtlety and wit.
Schachnovelle (1943) by Stefan Zweig. A short, interesting novel by another great German writer, this is a psychological portrait of two personalities who battle on the chess board.
