‘Enter.
Or turn back.
This is Erebos.’Nick is given a sinister but brilliant computer game called Erebos. The game is highly addictive but asks its players to carry out actions in the real world in order to keep playing online, actions which become more and more terrifyingly manipulative. As Nick loses friends and all sense of right and wrong in the real world, he gains power and advances further towards his online goal – to become one of the Inner Circle of Erebos. But what is virtual and what is reality? How far will Nick go to achieve his goal? And what does Erebos really want?
From the quintessential author of wartime Germany, A Time to Love and a Time to Die echoes the harrowing insights of his masterpiece All Quiet on the Western Front.
After two years at the Russian front, Ernst Graeber finally receives three weeks’ leave. But since leaves have been canceled before, he decides not to write his parents, fearing he would just raise their hopes.
Then, when Graeber arrives home, he finds his house bombed to ruin and his parents nowhere in sight. Nobody knows if they are dead or alive. As his leave draws to a close, Graeber reaches out to Elisabeth, a childhood friend. Like him, she is imprisoned in a world she did not create. But in a time of war, love seems a world away. And sometimes, temporary comfort can lead to something unexpected and redeeming.
“The world has a great writer in Erich Maria Remarque. He is a craftsman of unquestionably first rank, a man who can bend language to his will. Whether he writes of men or of inanimate nature, his touch is sensitive, firm, and sure.”—The New York Times Book Review
Beauty is a Sleeping Cat 
I’m in as always – lots coming in for the big event (Yoko Tawada, Christa Wolf, Judith Hermann, Jenny Erpenbeck), plus lots already on the shelves 🙂
🙂 I’m very glad to hear that and look forward to your reviews. I’m very curious to see how you’ll like Yoko Tawada.
I shall do my best to take part! The Christa Wolf reading week is particularly appealing.
I hope you can find some time. Luckily there are many books by Wol to choose from.
Count me in. I’ll defintely have a couple of reviews for German Lit Month, possibly three, depending on how my reading goes. Thanks for hosting once again – I’m looking forward it.
Great, Jacqui. I’m looking forward to your reviews.
This is an unmissable event in the blogosphere. Of course I’m in.
I’m so glad to hear that and glad to have you.
I have a few German books in translation on my shelves, and I’ll try to read at least one of them in November.
That’s wonderful, Jane.
Good luck I may do a couple of books this year
That’s great. You always find such interesting books.
I’ve been shuffling my books around for a couple of weeks already. What to read, what to read… I’m definitely looking forward to the event!
I’m looking forward as well and I’m happy you’ll join.
Thanks for providing a lot of notice about this event as it will give me time to plan my reading. I will try to join you.
I remember this being a very fun and interesting read along in years past.
I’m always surprised and pleased how much people seem to like this.
I’m glad you will join us.
I was wondering about German Literature Month just yesterday and thinking about the choices I’d make. Really looking forward to this, so thanks!
It’s my pleasure. I’m happy you’ll join us.
I had a feeling there were slightly more translations from the German this year.
One of my favourite events of the reading year! I’ve got a couple of ‘Es geschah in Berlin’ crime fiction novels (set in 1934 and 1938 respectively) and Stefan Zweig’s Meisternovellen. And I really want to read the latest Erpenbeck about immigrants…
Thanks for saying that.
And it’s wonderful that you will join. I didn’t get along with Erpenbeck’s first but I’m interested to hear what you think about the latest. And I’m always keen on crime reviews.
Decisions, decisions, what to read! I didn’t have time to read any Remarque last year, though I’d hoped to, so I may join in with the Gent’s reading week as well as others.
Glad to hear you’ll join us. Yes, decisions, decisions. I’ve got so many unread German books on my piles.
I’ve read many of REmarques’ novels, so I’m looking forward to this one.
This is so wonderful, Caroline! Thanks to you and Lizzy for hosting GLM! I can’t wait for November to arrive! So nice that Schiller gets his own week (isn’t that so awesome!) and so nice that there is a week dedicated to Christa Wolf also. I can’t wait to get started on reading German lit!
If you knew . . . Lizzy was thinking of you when she proposed Schiller week. 🙂
I’m so glad you’ll join us again. I’m looking forward to Christa Wolf week but I must say, I’m intrigued by Erebos as well. Roll on November.
So nice to know that, Caroline 🙂 Lizzy told me that on Facebook too. It is so nice that she remembered me for my Schiller reading 🙂
Yes, it was good of her.
I got a couple of Christa Wolf books – ‘Cassandra’ and ‘August’ 😉 Can’t wait for Christa Wolf week!
That’s great. I liked Cassandra a lot but haven’t read August. I’ll probably pick Medea. And short stories. I’m looking forward as well.
I got ‘August’ today. It is beautiful, but also quite slim – around 80 pages with only half the page printed – so really equivalent to 40 pages. It looks like a long, short story. Looking forward to reading it. Which of her East Germany novels would you recommend?
As usual, I would love to join in. Last year I read Erebos for the challenge and it is good to see it as the pick for the readalong. Maybe I will join in with a re-read if that is all right. 🙂 I am also very happy to see a Christa Wolf reading week. I really loved Cassandra and want to read more by her. I have a few other books in mind for the challenge and can’t wait for November!
Great, Priya. WE’re so glad you’re joining. I must have missed that Erebos review.
Christa Wolf’s Kassandra is amazing. I’m looking forward to see what you will pick.
I’m in, although you may want to disown me once you see what I am reading. It’ll be heavy on writers with Nazi associations.
Ha! Yeah well . . . I will always love Céline and I know it’s dubious.
I could imagine I know who you will choose.
Tom, I am also looking forward to your reading list as I have little idea of those who had Nazi associations.
Hauptmann is the one that first comes to mind. But Strittmatter and Grass had affiliations too.
It will be interesting to see who Tom’s is reading.
My plan is to read Richard Wagner with some assistance from Friedrich Nietzsche – retroactive Nazi associations for those two. And I also want to read a recent translation of the poems of Gottfried Benn, who made the kind of error many writers have made, although he realized he had made an error much faster than most writers.
Ah, none of those I mentioned. I read Wagner’s diary or memoir (it’s been a while) – Talk about hubris. Interestigly I read it together with a book on Ludwig II and Nietzsche.
Hi both, I am going to try hard to get at least one book under my belt for German Lit Month. Always a great event!
I’m glad to hear that. Thanks.
I haven’t participated in this before but I would definitely like to join in this year. I have a few books on my shelf that I could read and I’m sure I can find time for at least one of them in November.
That’s great news, Helen. You’ll see, it’s a very interactive event. At least it used to be.
So, you are going to tempt me after all?! 😉 I might have to try and read along with the Remarque as I have never read him–should I read All Quiet first? Or does it matter. And I have a German novel just recently published by Europa Editions that I have been wanting to read, so now this gives me just the excuse…. Hope all is well with you-and I owe you an email–sorry I have been so remiss about answering the email you sent a while back. Glad you liked the postcard–my trip feel so long ago now!
I’m so glad you wrote that as I was wondering whether the e-mail got lost because of the attachment. Don’t worry about the time. I really get it.
All Quite is his most famous but he’s a great author and I’ve never been disappointed. My favourite is Arc de Triomphe. But he’s written an outstanding Holocaust novel.
He covered all the years from WWI – in between the wars, during WWII – after WWII, so it’s also great to read chronologically. I’m you won’t be disappointed either way.
I’m glad you will join.
Why wa I inking Oct.? I have lots of time now and won’t feel rushed. Have already started collecting my books and will see which Remarque novels I can get my hands on easily. Crazy about that summary giving away so many details…..
Sorry can’t type well on a tablet….
Don’t worry. After the recent auto-correct weirdness I left on your blog . . .
I don’t understand why they would give away so much in a summary.
Had to check my library to see if we have the Remarque–which we do-an old book, an old record that ha a brief summary of the story in which they give away the plot and the ending. Argh!
Oh no! Unbelievable.
Though I’m way behind on posting about any literature, I may actually have a head start this year for German Literature Month, and hope to post about at least one work. GLM has become an institution in the best sense!
I like that. An institution into best sense is a good thing.
I’m happy that you’ll join us.
I totally agree with Scott – GLM is an institutionin the best sense, an institution that we all love 🙂
🙂
Time again for me to start plotting my German reads! I know I’m interested in participating in the Christa Wolf Week and I’m intrigued by the Remarque title. That’s where I am today. Looking forward!
Judith (Reader in the Wilderness)
Lovely, to have you on board. I’m looking forward to our discussions.
I’ve just ordered Wolf’s Patterns of Childhood. It’s a long one at 446 pages. So that and the Remarque will be it for me. Have you read this Wolf title?
Judith
No I haven’t although I always found it tempting. I might read Medea. The Remarque is already rather long. But you’re tempting me now.
I’m in. I can finally get around to reading read Joseph Roth’s letters! I’m not sure what else I’ll read, but thanks for giving plenty of advance notice of the event so I can get organised. Also, your co-hosted events are the only ones I participate in, because there are no onerous rules to follow or hoops to jump through. 🙂
🙂 I’m glad you’re joining again. You were so busy last year.
We like to give people some guidance, just in case, but nobody should feel forced to read anything.
I’ve stopped participating in challenges. Especially when there are rules to follow.
I can’t wait to see what books you’ll read.
Of course you can count me in, Caroline. A good moment to do some serious book blogging again since I was so busy with other things during the last months and could post reviews only quite rarely. Looking forward to another great event hosted by Lizzy and you – thanks for the initiative 🙂
It’s our pleasure and – great that you will join.
I’m curious to find out which books you will review.
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My choice for German Lit Month is ‘Adam and Evelyn’ a novel by Ingo Schulze, a writer I have not read before.
I look at the recent awards lists for German literature and find that even the winners don’t get translated.
I’m glad you’re joining us. Schulze’s a great writer. I’m toying with the idea of reading one of his novels as well.
I know – not even the winners. I don’t why.
dear Caroline
i was thinking about this just the other day. Thank you so much for organising it again. Will post a reading list sometime in mid-october. I want to include at least one book by Gunter Grass this year, a writer whom I have heard so much of but never read
Great that you will join. I’m looking forward to your list. I’ve only read the Tin Drum – an amazing book.
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Yes, yes, yes dear Caroline! I’m just returning to the surface and able to breath at work, so I’m hopeful of at least one book for German Lit Month! I want to return to some childhood favorites, such as Heidi, and also to look for new ones for my class, such as Inkheart, Inkspell, and Inkdeath written by Cornelia Funke. But, this might be the perfect chance to open Effi Briest as well!
Reading Buddenbrooks last year was one of the highlights of 2014 for me.
I’m so delighted to hear this. I hope it will be an equally great experience this year. Many of Cornelia Funke’s books are available in translation.
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I’ve linked here from Bellezza’s post, and am game to give this a try for the first time. Scanning my shelves now.
That’s such great news. I’m looking forward to see your choices.
I’m in too, probably for the Read as you please week.
I’ll read Crimes by Ferdinand von Schirach and if I have time, I may read The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth.
I’m still in my TBR20 period, so buying something new is not possible. 🙂 Although I wish I could read a contemporary German book.
You don’t need to stick to the agenda. Read it whenever you like.
I cheated and bought a couple of new books – mostly not translated. It’s always the same.
The Radetzky March is so, so good, Emma. I gave away about three copies of it as Christmas gifts the year I read it because it was, um, so, so good, Emma! 😀
Thanks. I was in Vienna this summer so I think it’s a good time to read it.
I’ve read it in school but I should reread it. All I rember is that it was so good. 🙂 Hardyl enough for a conversation/discussion.
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Maybe this month I’ll finally join you. Bellezza reminded me of this event when I saw her answers to my guest blogger questions (she is my September guest) and I was so excited I actually spent an hour digging through my books and finally selecting some by Erich Maria Remarque, Kafka and Werner Bergengruen. I also have a favourite, Karl May’s Winnetou, which I read so many years ago but that is a three-book affair so not sure if I’ll finish in time.
I’d love to have you join.
I read so many of Karl May’s novels when I was a kid and Winnetou was a favourie, although I loved Der Schatz im Silbersee even more. Sorry, I cannot remember the English title.
“The Treasure on the Silver Lake” is the English title. I haven’t read it but I’d love to.
I’m glad you’re hosting a read-along of “A Time to Live and a Time to Die” because that’s one of the books I have. So nice to discover another Winnetou fan. 🙂 Not many people have heard of it, let alone read it.
A silly question: are we supposed to start reading the books in November or we can read at any time but post about them in November?
You read whenever you want and post in November.
Well – I grew up in a German speaking country so Karl May was one of the authors we read. I also loved the movies and met Pierre Brice a while ago at a book fair.
Oh my, I had a crush on Pierre Brice as Winnetou. 🙂
Kafka, here I come!
He was rather hadnsome back then. 🙂
Ah now if I can join in by reading some contemporary German poets then I’d love to join you.
Yes, of course and we’d love that. Lizzy always reads poetry for German Literature Month. People always pick older poets, so I’d be really interested to see which contemporaray ones you’ll read.
Sounds wonderful. I can’t join, but I look forward to the discussions!
Thanks, Carole. I think it will be very interesting and engaging.
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I’m in! Probably reading a Bernhard this time. Thanks to you and Lizzy for doing this again. Cheers!
I’m delighted to hear that. Lokking forward to your review.
Hi Caroline, I’ve been looking forward to this event since I discovered the previous edition a couple of months ago. I’ve planned my reading as follows, firstly a zoom on one of the shortlisted writers for this year’s Buchpreis, Monique Schwitter, with her book of short stories translated into English last year Goldfish Memories followed by the Preis submission Eins im Andern. I’ve found a French translation of Ursula Kretchel’s Landesgericht which I am ‘long’ reading and I’ll round off with a back to the roots look at Bernhard Schlink with Self’s Punishment
Pat
Wonderful news, Pat. I’m glad you’ll join us. I don’t even know all the books you mention, so it will be really great to read reviews. Thanks. I’ll be adding you to my Bloglovin account, so I can keep track. But tere will be a site where you can add your reviews/posts.
Wonderful to see your and Lizzy’s announcements. I have been accumulating works since the event of last year ended. I just wrote today to be published November 1, a post on an incredible WW2 novel Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada. I also have the latest collection of Joseph Roth’s essay, The Hotel Days, a just published edition of the poetry of Thomas Bernhard, a lot of as yet unread novellas and short stories by Stefan Zweig and Mann’s Buddenbrooks in the works.
Last year I hosted a post event observation at The Old Budapest Hotel. I am contemplating ideas for this year.
I’m so glad to hear you’ll join. You’ve got great plans. I can’t wait to see what event you’ll come up with this year. I enjoyed last year a lot.
I’m very curious to hear more abot the Roth essay. I still haven’t read the Fallada but I know I should.
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I shall be squeaking in on the very last day of the month with a re-read of Zweig’s Beware of Pity…the clock is ticking fast
Yes it is. I was hoping to review more. Don’t forget to add your post to our page.
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