Highlight of the month © Goethe-Institut Hongkong
  © Goethe-Institut Hongkong

Highlight of the Month | October
A story about the search for home

I believe that the topic of identity is closely related to our daily lives. The author of this book, Nora Krug, is also searching for her identity. She was born a few decades after the fall of the Nazi regime, but the Second World War casts a huge shadow over her.

 

Life Bazarre © Goethe-Institut Hongkong

Highlight of the Month | September
The bizarrest life stories told in the quirkiest way

If you are into funny stories and quirky graphics, then Simon Schwartz is certainly a name that you shouldn’t miss, and so is his latest publication “Life Bizarre”.

 

Kinder unterm Hakenkreuz © Goethe-Institut Hongkong

Highlight of the Month | August
Kinder unterm Hakenkreuz

In this book, ten children from different countries tell how they experienced the National Socialist era and World War II. The stories are accompanied by illustrations, photos, and factual texts that explain the historical background in a gentle way.  
 

Unser Deutschlandmärchen

Highlight of the Month | June
Fairytales of Our Germany

After 3 years of long wait, the Leipzig Book Fair finally returns this year, and so is the live ceremony of the much-anticipated Leipzig Book Fair’s Prize. This year’s prize for fiction goes to Dinçer Güçyeter’s debut novel “Unser Deutschlandmärchen” (Fairytales of Our Germany).
 

Glücksorte in und um Lübeck

Highlight of the Month | April
The Queen of Hanse - Happy places in and around Lübeck

Happiness in Lübeck is as heavenly as the city's famous marzipan. Whether it's a night in a beach chair, the shortest cruise in the world, or a tasting in the candy manufactory - life can be so enjoyable between the Trave and the Baltic Sea.
 

Franz Kafka: A Man of His Time and Our Own_teaser

Highlight of the Month | March
Franz Kafka – A Man of His Time and Our Own

This lavish book about the most famous native of Prague Franz Kafka is intended for everyone who wishes to learn more about his life and work, and his world.
 

Vom Ende der Einsamkeit © Diogenes/ Sceptre/ Solo Press

Highlight of the Month | February
The End of Loneliness

February is the month for lovers. However, having a lover or not, a good read is always a good read. How about reading an intense story full of love and grief to spice your soul in an otherwise over-sweet month up?

 

Tea Trip ©Slanted Publishers

Highlight of the Month | January
Tea Trip – A Fascinating Journey Through the Middle Kingdom

The plain truth behind China’s tea culture: China keeps the best varieties for itself! Only little is known in this country about the Chinese tea growing areas and the variety of flavors of the countless tea varieties.
 

Schöne Weihnachten ©Loewe

Story Book
Dec 2022: Beautiful Christmas! Wonderful stories for adults and children

Sometimes all you need to be happy is simple. Says, a sofa, a blanket, a cup of chocolate milk, and a well-written and beautifully drawn picture book. This Christmas, find yourself a cozy spot at home, read a good book to comfort your soul!
 

Alphabet of Legends © Loewe

Children Book
Nov 2022: Alphabet of Legends

26 courageous people who have contributed to change the world are introduced in this book in alphabetical order!
 

Die letzten Tage von Stefan Zweig © Salammbopress

Graphic Novel
The Last Days of Stefan Zweig

This year’s Kino German Film Festival opens with “The Royal Game”, a film adaptation of Stefan Zweig’s same titled novel. “The Last Days of Stefan Zweig”, a graphic novel created by Laurent Seksik and Guillaume Sorel, offers a glimpse at the last flight of Stefan Zweig.
 

Work-Life-Balance von Aisha Franz © reprodukt

Comic
Work-Life Balance by Aisha Franz

With “Work-Life-Banalce”, Aisha Franz delivers a brilliant journey into the current work reality of young adults – told in her usual absurd manner and exaggerated, but at the same time sharply observed.
 

Feuer der Freiheit ©商周出版

JUNE 2022: Feuer der Freiheit

Simone de Beauvior, Hannah Arendt, Simone Weil and Ayn Rand. With great narrative skill, Wolfram Eilenberger deschribes in his latest book the dramatic lives of the most influential female philosophers of the 20th century. In the midst of the turmoil of the Second World War, they laid the foundation for a truly free, emancipated society as fugitives and resistance fighters, ostracized and enlightened women.

Crime City ©Pegasus Spiele GmbH

Mai 2022: Micromacro Crime City

Team up with your friends to solve tricky cases! Micromacro Crime City is a detective game played on a city map. 

ALDI eine deutsche Geschichte © FISCHER Krüger/creative commons

April 2022: ALDI - more than just a brand

ALDI - these four letters have had a major impact on the consumer behavior and food culture of Germans, both positively and negatively. The rise of the brothers Karl and Theo therefore also tells the story of a country.

Global Warming Party ©Hanser

March 2022: Global Warming Party

There is no denying it. Global warming is real and it is caused by human. How else would you explain summer holiday starting in March? 

Hunde im Futur ©Susanna Rieder Verlag

February 2022: Hunde im Futur

You might think this is just another picture book, but... it is much more than that! This book will turn your perception of German grammar book upside down! 

Parallel ©Reprodukt

January 2022: Parallel

In a simple and classy black and white style Matthias Lehmann tells the story of Karl Kling, a gay man trying his best to live a “normal” life in post-war Germany.

Der kleine König Dezember ©Kunstmann

December 2021: Der kleine König Dezember

If "A Christmas Carol" makes us more generous and kind to others, "Der kleine König Dezember" makes us treat ourselves better. It is a hug and a pat on the shoulder for everyone who may sometimes feel dispirited and disoriented in this world.

The Old King in his Exile © Goethe-Institut Hongkong

November 2021: The Old King in his Exile

Arno Geiger, a German Book Prize winner, wrote about the journey to deal with his father’s Alzheimer’s in 2011. The book has become Arno’s bestselling book and has sold over 1 million copies worldwide.
 

Berlin School Glossary ©Goethe-Institut Hongkong

Highlight of the Month: Berlin School Glossary

As KINO/21 German Film Festival is coming back in full scale this October, we highly recommend this ABC book to those who want to know more about the "Berlin School", Germany's most significant film school.
 

September 2021: Die Entdeckung der Currywurst © KiWi © 臺灣商務印書館

September 2021: The Invention of Curried Sausage

The ongoing pandemic has brought major changes to our eating and cooking habits.  Many people discover (or rediscover) the joy of home cooking and invent new recipes. 

Kafka ©Reprodukt

Highlight of the Month: Kafka

With Hong Kong comic artist Li Chi Tak’s latest retake of Kafka’s 10 stories into his new comic book named KAFKA, the Goethe-Library has picked David Zane Mairowitz & Robert Crumb’s previous Graphic Novel on Kafka as the highlight of the month.

Möwen. Müll. Und Meerjungfrauen ©LAPPAN

July 2021: Seagulls. Garbage. And Mermaids

The sea as a habitat is exposed to numerous dangers, be it plastic waste or rising temperatures, trawl nets or cruise ships.
 

Etüden im Schnee © Goethe-Institut

June 2021: Memoirs of a polar bear

Three lives. Three generations. Lives as they were through the eyes of three polar bears. 

Meersabenteuer ©United Letters

May 2021: The Ocean Adventure

Have fun exploring the magical sea! Both in this ocean story and in real life, you can make our exciting world a little better each day! You are the hero!

April 2021: Manno! © Reprodukt

APRIL 2021: Manno!

Do you remember your first eye test? The excitement when you got your first prescription glasses? Or can you still remember the silly but immensely fun childhood games you had with your friends? How about the fights you had with your siblings?

THEN I’LL GO NOW, TIME SAID © Goethe-Institut Hongkong

March 2021: THEN I’LL GO NOW, TIME SAID

It’s Sunday and Time has come for a visit. Lara and the Time are good friends. But Lara’s family seems to have something against it. They talk about passing Time or even killing it. Time decides to leave. But nobody can help Lara as no one seems to have time for the Time. Will she trace its path and find it again?
 

forecast 2021  © Colourbox

Onleihe: A Forecast for 2021

After reading up on nearly all New Year’s forecasts by famous Fengshui masters in Hong Kong, the Goethe-Library team has compiled an ultimate Chinese horoscope 2021 guide for everyone. Read the right books, do the right things, and “pursue good fortune and avoid disaster”!

Der Nussknacker NordSüd

December 2020: The Nutcracker

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without...the Nutcracker! Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann created a classic in 1816 with his Fantasy about the Nutcracker and Mouse King. After more than 200 years it is still as popular as ever!
 

The Summer of Her Life © Reprodukt

November 2020: The Summer of Her Life

“The Summer of Her Life” is the first collaboration between the comic artist Barbara Yelin and the novelist Thomas von Steinaecker. In a poetic, touching and profound way, it touches upon the topics that we seldom dare to touch on: What is it like to spend your twilight years in a home? How do you know whether you’ve made the right choices? And what does it mean, in the end, to be happy?
 

Onleihe Musik ©Getty Images

JUNE 2020: ONLEIHE - OUR TOP 10 ALBUMS

Onleihe is not just about books. You can also enjoy music with it! In this month we have asked one of our colleagues, who is a master student studying music, to select her favourite "Top 10 albums" from Onleihe!

Highlight of the month_May © Goethe-Institut Hongkong

May 2020: The Great Museum

A curious, witty and humorous peek behind the scenes at a world-famous cultural institution – The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.