Dispatches from the middle

Day 19: “Die wertvollste Gabe ist die Erfindung, der größte Reichtum die Fantasie. Merk dir das, […] merk dir das und denk dir die Welt schöner aus.” – Saša Stanišić, Wie der Soldat das Grammofon repariert

More or less: “The most valuable talent is invention, the greatest richness lies in imagination. Keep that in mind, […] keep that in mind and imagine yourself a more beautiful world.”

This is one of the most striking and impressive, yet still whimsically adorable, books I’ve ever read. Come to think of it, there’s not many that fit that description to begin with. Happily, it’s also the subject of Chapter 5 of my thesis. I’ve just started reading it again, planting little yellow stickies here and there and scratching up the margins even more, and am savoring every page. I’ll have to be careful not to savor for too long, but it’s such a pleasure to read it again!

For anyone interested – the English title is “How the Soldier Repairs the Gramophone.” Anthea Bell is the translator. She’s one of the best, so I’m sure it’s an equally captivating read auf Englisch.