Ferien vom Ich

Keller, Paul, 1873-1932Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 502K words
Chapters: 51

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Ferien vom Ich by Paul KellerAuthor: Keller, Paul, 1873-1932,Language: German, Class: PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures, Release Date: May 23, 2009

Editor's review

This novel comes from the hand of the German writer Paul Keller and belongs to the narrative tradition of regionalist, restorative writing in early twentieth-century German-language literature. The title translates literally as "My Holiday"; the work unfolds around the tension between city life and rural rest, using its characters' experiences and shifts of mood during a holiday to discuss how modern people might temporarily withdraw from the everyday order and reexamine their relationship with the self and with nature. Keller's tone is gentle, and he skillfully uses everyday details and dialogue to move the plot forward; the emotional intensity is moderate, making the book easy to read, yet it leaves an aftertaste within its unhurried narrative. As a public-domain e-book from Project Gutenberg, the book is presented in the original German and is suitable as introductory or transitional reading material for German literature, as well as for readers studying early twentieth-century German popular literature. It is best read as a slow walk through the countryside: there is no need to rush after the plot, but rather to notice the shifts in attitude that the characters reveal in their leisure and the author's contrasting descriptions of the living environment and the inner rhythm. For readers accustomed to fast-paced narrative, the early groundwork may feel somewhat leisurely, but it is precisely this composure that constitutes the book's reading value.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Learners with basic German reading ability who want to try an original German novel
Literary readers interested in early twentieth-century German regionalist and restorative themes
People who want light, relaxing reading for the commute or before sleep
Readers seeking material on public-domain e-books and early German popular literature

Not a good fit for

Readers with no German at all who cannot read the original text
Readers who prefer strong plots and fast-paced suspense or action narratives
Academic readers expecting detailed annotations and an introduction

Reading tips

Begin by sampling the first two chapters in a short session, then continue reading once you have adjusted to Keller's narrative rhythm and German sentence patterns.
Keep a simple German vocabulary notebook and record recurring regional and everyday expressions to help build a feel for the language.
Set aside leisure time for reading, one chapter at a time, and pair it with reflection on the natural environment and the pace of life.
After finishing, look back at how the characters' state of mind changes before and after the holiday, and sort out the author's contrasting arrangement of city and countryside.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in the original German or an English translation?

According to the Project Gutenberg entry, the book's language is German and it falls under German language and literature, so it presents the original German text, not an English translation. Readers without German reading ability will need a dictionary or a parallel translation to assist their understanding.

Can someone with no German read this book?

It is not really recommended. The book is in the original German and belongs to early twentieth-century literature, so its sentence patterns and vocabulary are somewhat distant from modern German. The barrier is fairly high for complete beginners; it is better suited to learners who already have basic grammar and vocabulary, or for use alongside bilingual materials.

Is this book suitable as German learning material?

It can serve as supplementary reading material, but not as the sole textbook. Its narrative is unhurried and contains many everyday scenes, which helps build everyday vocabulary and a feel for the language; however, literary expressions and period usage require extra checking, so it is best used together with graded readers or textbooks.

What should I keep in mind when reading the e-book?

This book is a public-domain e-book from Project Gutenberg and usually comes in several formats. When reading, choose a reader that allows adjustable font size and line spacing for long sessions with German text; also note differences among formats in word division, hyphenation, and special characters, and switch formats if display problems occur.

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About the author

Keller, Paul, 1873-1932 Author · German · 1873–1932

Paul Keller (1873–1932) was a German novelist known for his regional fiction depicting rural life in Silesia. His works often draw on village settings and local customs, giving them a strong sense of place. His representative works include Die alte Krone: Ein Roman aus dem Spreewald, set in the Spreewald region, and Ferien vom Ich, which centers on vacation and self-reflection. Two of his works are held in this collection. Public information on his education and professional career is limited, so no speculation is made here; judging from his surviving works, he presented rural manners and everyday life in a plain style and holds a place in early twentieth-century German regional literature.