Book Historic set. Tyll. A Novel. Conquistadors. The Ministry of Truth: The Biography of George Orwell's 1984. The Book Thieves: The Nazi Looting of Europe's Libraries and the Race to Return a Literary Inheritance (set of 4 books)
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Daniel Kelman is one of the most famous contemporary authors writing in German. And his novel Till is a skilfully composed mixture of Western European folklore, fiction and real historical events of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), which swept through almost all European countries.
Till Uhlenspiegel, the hero of medieval legends, trickster, provocateur and mocker, the embodiment of the rebellious spirit, was transferred by the writer to the seventeenth century, to the lands of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation, disfigured by endless ruin. The hero, who lost his father and mother but swore never to die, encounters travelling actors and kings who lost their crowns, executioners and scholars, poets and inquisitors, and his devoted companion is the baker's daughter Nele.
The writer's skill mysteriously connects and links all these fates, and the reader is presented with the true fabric of that cruel time. In 2020, Daniel Kaelman's novel Til was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.
Eric Vuillard's historical novel The Conquistadors tells the story of the Spanish conquest of Peru. Francisco Pizarro and his brothers set off with a small army to establish the power of the Spanish king in the new lands. They suffer from illness, lack of food, cold, and overcome mountains and rainforests. A bunch of self-confident strangers strive for gold and power.
What will they have to do to achieve this? Will they be adequately rewarded for their trials and bloody sacrifices? The conquerors will face a difficult and dangerous path.
Book 3. Ministry of Truth. A biography of George Orwell's novel 1984
Dorian Lynskey has created an authoritative, in-depth and incredibly modern biography of the book. After all, J. Orwell's 1984 is not just a novel; it is the key to understanding the modern world, an inexhaustible treasure trove of ideas and memes. It is enough to look at how Orwell's concepts of Big Brother, Thought Police, doublethink, new language, and the notorious formula 2 + 2 = 5 are increasingly used today. Lynskey has explored not only the range of ideas and events that led Orwell to create the world-famous novel, but also its profound and lasting impact on world politics, social relations and culture at all levels - from the elite to the popular. The message inherent in 1984 has easily overcome many decades: "Don't let it happen. It's up to you." And it's not even about totalitarianism, not about the Big Lie of fascist and communist utopias, but about the medium-sized lie that constantly distorts reality in the 21st century.
The Nazis robbed libraries throughout the time they were in power - first in Germany, and then in all the occupied lands. The number of books lost (lost in the maelstrom of war and finally destroyed) is estimated at millions of copies.
The books were not so unique and did not have significant material value, such as works of art, but had ideological value, because first of all, special brigades looted the libraries of the enemies of Nazism. They destroyed not just books, they destroyed the cultural and national identity of entire communities.
Remnants of pre-war libraries are still scattered in many European cities today.
Anders Riedell seeks to retrace the path of the Nazi book thieves and pay tribute to those who tried to resist them.