KINO. The title was the first thing I loved about Jürgen Fauth’s debut novel. Short for Kinematographie (German for cinematography), it’s the nickname of the story’s tragic hero. But more importantly, it embodies the glamour of Berlin between two World Wars – a town of cabarets, never-ending parties, sex, cocaine (Zement), a new and prospering film industry and an economy teetering on a highwire… DAMN! … Continue reading KINO by Jürgen Fauth
My most recent audiobook download from Iambik.com is Rebecca Pawel’s novel Death of a Nationalist. Set in 1939, in the early days of Franco’s Spain, it’s a murder mystery that doesn’t shy away from the complexities of history. …The Spanish Civil War, often considered a practice run for WWII, has only recently ended. The short-lived Republic is no more. The Nationalists, backed by Nazi Germany … Continue reading Death of a Nationalist by Rebecca Pawel (narrated by Elizabeth Klett)
My vision of Barcelona in the 1930’s has been shaped by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. The city sky is perpetually overcast. I imagine glistening wet sidewalks and streetlamps haloed by fog. Automobiles are large and sculptural, with polished chrome hood ornaments that cut through the night. The men and women wander the streets with their faces buried in books. Everyone looks like a Tamara de Lempicka … Continue reading Welcome Back to Barcelona! – The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
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