The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear

Time for a book review! I was thinking about writing yet another post about the American election insanity, perhaps presenting my own worst-case scenario of a Trump administration based on something other than media hype and partisan fearmongering, but I want a break from politics, and I'm sure you do, too. Time for a premature review of a book I barely started reading!

For as long as I have worked at my little library, this book has sat on the shelf. I have leafed through it from time to time, and found the snippets of prose I glanced over rather amusing. I finally decided to borrow it and give it a proper read, and while one ought not judge a book by its cover, the first chapter is usually sufficient to tell whether it's worth reading the rest.

Walter Moers is a German author. This book was written in German and first published in Germany 25 years ago. I can neither speak nor read German. Fortunately, a British bloke with the improbable name of John Brownjohn translated it to English, it was eventually published in the United States, and a copy managed to survive on our shelves with just enough readers to avoid weeding.

Based on the peculiar style and vocabulary, I'm sure it was quite the task. You see, the book is chock-full of imaginative terms and names, and its use of allusion and absurdity must have presented a challenge. After reading only one chapter so far, I can already say this is the kind of book I will thoroughly enjoy.

So far, it's a silly story. Whether it will remain a humorous series of stories or turn serious, I do not yet know. Thus far, it reminds me a bit of Shel Silverstein (particularly in the illustrations, but somewhat in the silliness) and Douglas Adams (excerpts from The Encyclopedia of Marvels, Life Forms and Other Phenomena of Zamonia and its Environs and overall descriptive tones) with content suitable for an adolescent or adult audience.

I don't have a handy Amazon referral link to get rich quick with internet marketing, so just check your local library to see whether they have it, or can request it for you. Winter is coming, and that means time to curl up somewhere cozy and read a book. I nominate this one for your list!

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