Welcome to German Literature Month - the perfect excuse to satisfy your inner Germanophile.
I left Germany 22 years ago and now that I have a blog to feed, I no longer read in German. (It takes too long.) But I do like to keep in touch with the German literary scene and have developed a 3-point strategy for doing so. I shall share as an encouragement. If you follow some of these links, you’re bound to find something that you fancy reading. 
1) The wonderful resource that is New Books In German. Packed full of interesting articles about – er – New Books in German and, more to my point, upcoming translations from German. Published twice a year. I read on average about 4 titles per edition and I simply cannot wait for the new Juli Zeh announced in this edition … or the new Ferdinand von Shirach … and that book by Alissa Walser will be irresistible!
2) Publisher catalogues. I systematically scour these for works translated from German, though some publishers have more Germanic content than others: For example:.
- Angel Classics – Publishers of Denis Jackson’s superlative translations of Theodor Storm’s poetic novellas and new translations of a couple from Theodor Fontane.
- Europa Editions – Love these books. Such beautiful objects, a great catalogue with a healthy contingent of contemporary German literature on the list.
- Melville House Press - Somebody in MHP loves German literature. Recent publications include sets of Böll and Fallada. Novella lovers are catered for in both The Art of the Novella and The Contemporary Art of The Novella series. Irmgard Keun can be found in their Neversink Library. If crime is your thing, check out Jakob Arjouni in their International Crime Series.
- One World Classics – Currently celebrating 5 years in the business, there’s 40% off everything at the moment. Hi thee over and grab yourself something for Classics Week! As you can, see in the photo, I have!
- Peirene Press - IPG Newcomer of the Year 2011. 3 of Peirene’s first 6 titles were translated from German. And there’s another on the way in 2012.
- Pushkin Press - An entire library of my favourite Austrians: Schnitzler and Zweig. Delicious!
- Seagull Books – Publishers of The German List
and The Swiss List
3) Checking longlists and shortlists of translated fiction prizes: The 3 Percent Prize, the International Foreign Fiction Prize. The German Book Prize is also worth watching. 3 of the 7 winners have been now been translated. I’ve read Julia Franck’s The Blind Side of the Heart. Katherina Hacker’s The Have-Nots is in the TBR and I’ll have to save up for Arno Geiger’s We Are Doing Fine. The current asking price of £25 is simply too steep for an impulse purchase. Why so expensive?
As a result of that 3-point plan, I have amassed a mountainous TBR of German literature – some of which is pictured above. And no doubt, I will be wanting to add to it when I read of all your reading adventures during November. Although German Literature Month is an event, not a reading challenge, the challenge for me will be a) to decide what to read (I am spoilt for choice) and b) not to add to the pile during November. Though I expect my wishlist will grow exponentially!
Finally, have you decided your reading list? lf not, permit me to make a suggestion for each of our themed weeks:
German Fiction Week: The Blind Side of the Heart – Julia Franck / Crime Week: Dark Matter – Juli Zeh / From Austria / Switzerland: Selected Stories – Stefan Zweig / Classics Week: The Sufferings Of Young Werther - Goethe
So, all ready now? Eins, zwei, drei ….. los!
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Next on German Literature Month: 14 Women Writers You Shouldn’t Miss
this is a very nice selection on your photo, those inka parei and terezia mora books are great.
[...] Please, don’t forget to leave a comment with a link, should you have written a post and also hop over to Lizzy who starts German Literature Month with The Magic Mountain of German Literature. [...]
Since I blog in English I hardly read German books anymore as many will never be translated. It’s great to see how you find your books and I will also browse the sites to see what I can review.
On the other hand I wonder if reviewing books that haven’t been translated couldn’t give them a chance of translation?
I think it’s sad that you have to win a prize to be translated as often the winners are not the only good ones.
I see you have Alina Bronsky there. I read it last week and loved it.
I’m the opposite to Caroline – this year, I’ve actually started reading more books in German! Most are classics, but I’m starting to edge my way into contemporary fiction. It’s nice to be able to head out into (relatively) uncharted waters
Great resource thanks will enjoy working my way through their wares.
Thank you so much for these great links! By the way, the “real” Magic Mountain is one of my best reads ever! I even went to Davos afterwords, to prolong die Stimmung …
I’ve already started my German reading marathon and have completed The Death of the Adversary, The Piano Teacher and The Sinner. I”m half way through The TIn Drum. Now all I’ve got to do is write the reviews
I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone else reads. Have a wonderful German lit month. 
[...] The Magic Mountain of German Literature (Lizzy’s Literary Life) [...]
I just read and posted on a very interesting short story by Friedrich Gerstacker (Hamburg01816 to 1872) “”Germelshausen”. The plot of Brigadoon was taken from this story. here is a link to my post
http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2011/11/german-literature-month-plus-wonderful.html
[...] The Magic Mountain of German Literature [...]
I am catching up on all the week 1 posts. Wonderful post, Lizzy! It is awesome that Angel Classics have published wonderful translations of all of Theodor Storm’s works! I want to get all of them
I have a few books published by One World Classics, but I think they are all Russian. I will check their catalogue. Pushkin press is also wonderful – Schnitzler and Zweig are so awesome! Out of your suggested list, I have read ‘The Sorrows of Young Werther’. I want to read ‘Selected Stories’ of Stefan Zweig.
Lizzy, thanks so much to you and Caroline for organizing and hosting German Literature Month! I have so many great new reading ideas for 2012 now, and the resources in this post alone make me eager to check out more of your “Magic Mountain” write-ups as well as as many of the other participants’ review posts as I can. Exciting stuff, thanks!