Ivan from Bulgaria is interested in German literature. It's hard to pack such a topic in a single podcast episode - I'll try anyway. As always, I tell you just what I personally like to read. For a complete list of all German authors is that here at least not be!

Of course, every child knows here in Germany, Schiller and Goethe. In school you learn a lot about this great German poet. I myself was in high school in the last two years of my training as a German power exchange. This means: You look for the last two years of school for two subjects in which you concentrate. You spend more time with these two subjects. Of course there are certain rules which subjects can be. For me there were English and German - and German-credit course, we have learned a lot about Goethe. For many weeks we have dealt only with "Faust." We have read it, and discussed three different theatrical performances of "Faust" considered. But I admit: For a German language learners and also for the many German is so difficult to understand heavy going. At that time, we are way down with the whole class to Weimar - Goethe lived there a long time.

When it comes to old books, then stand on my shelf though not Schiller and Goethe, but Heinrich Heine. He was considered revolutionary and very modern, and therefore he also had many critics. I have many old books from him. On the dearest I like but three thick volumes that summarize his letters. Heine wrote wonderful letters! From these letters can be read out very well what kind of person was he good.

But we move further into the future. Just a film in German cinemas called "Buddenbrooks" was. This is a famous book by Thomas Mann, in which it goes to a merchant family. I think you can compare a little with "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck. I've read the book until this summer and found it good - but it is almost 700 pages thick.

Even further into the future! Bertolt Brecht and Erich Kästner I skip. But they are obviously very important! Next stop: Hermann Hesse. His book "Siddhartha" and "Der Steppenwolf" I'm very fond of. Forever is really about the search for the self and the meaning of life. Likely to read why so many young German like Hesse. I've just read by Stefan Zweig, the "Royal Game", a very thin book about a chess player on board a ship. I found it very interesting!

So, and now we are in the present. Here I skip Günter Grass and Martin Walser and dedicate myself to the younger writers. Walter Moers writes wonderful books that are like fairy tales for adults. First and foremost, of course, "The 13 ½ Lives of Captain Bluebear". Andreas Eschbach and Frank Schätzing are bestselling authors who write science fiction.

My good friend Richard reads itself like German books, and he will advise all "Herr Lehmann" by Sven Regener, "The Invention of Curried Sausage" by Uwe Timm - which I for linguistically think very demanding, "Momo" by Michael Ende and still some more. There are links on my page.

If I am to you recommend good books in German, then I put my heart to you Patrick Süskind. His most famous book is "The Perfume", but I've just read "The Story of Mr. Sommer," and it moved me. Especially nice to read commentaries and columns are also the most famous German columnist Max Goldt, Harald Stein Mart, Axel Hacke or Harry Rowohlt.

Have your book recommendations? Then write in the comment function on slowgerman.com! I'm sure I've forgotten half of my favorite books here. Then there are again sometime a result of literature.

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Ivan from Bulgaria is interested in German literature. It's hard to pack such a topic in a single podcast episode - I'll try anyway. As always, I tell you just what I personally like to read. For a complete list of all German authors is that here at least not be! Of course, every child knows here in Germany ...