'German Short Stories' by David Constantine

Book Review

'German Short Stories' is an eight-strong collection of short stories from a diverse range of celebrated twentieth-century German writers. The writing is varied, thoughtful and engaging, representing a wide range of literal, political and historical backgrounds.  

This collection of German stories has been well chosen. The stories are diverse and entertaining. There is also a real note of depth. The use of contrast by classic storyteller Penzoldt is a good example. Above all however, the stories serve to provide real insight into the culture and society of the German speaking world. 

The stories are presented using parallel texts. One half of each page is in the original German, the other half in the equivalent English. The translations are up-to-date.  

There is an additional benefit to reading and studying this book. Notes are included on more unusual German words and phrases, to complement the texts. 

German Short Stories will be of great value to learners and students of German, especially those at beginner to intermediate level. It is also a helpful companion for German speakers learning or studying English.