Tags
books, das Grosse Los, inspire, Meike Winnemuth, quote, reading, travel
After losing the post yesterday I just tried again:
I’ve just finished reading the book I mentioned in a post last week (midweek meanderings). ‘Das Grosse Los’ (which can be translated in several ways … for instance “The Big Ticket”) was written by the German journalist Meike Winnemuth, who won half a million on a TV game show and decided to travel the world for a year. Twelve cities in twelve months told in twelve letters to friends, each letter opening up the door to an unexplored place, a plethora of adventures lying in wait.
The book isn’t a traditional travel book, it doesn’t talk about the best place to eat, the best place to visit, the sights or history of the place, the letters talk about the atmosphere of the cities and what feelings, thoughts and ideas they invoke.
Meike Winnemuth is often challenged to rethink her ideas, her preconceptions; sometimes she is surprised by what she feels or what emotions creep to the surface, but always is she encouraged that things can be changed. As she allows the reader some insight into her adventures and inner thoughts she also challenges them to take a look at their own lives, their own ideas, their own way of life.
I may have closed ‘Das Grosse Los’ for now, but it seems to be staying with me, shaking things loose, deconstructing some well established thoughts, making me wonder about possibilities – inspiring me. And I love it when a book does that, especially when I wasn’t the one to pick it up but when someone gave it to me, a surprising gift of dreams between two book covers.
I think this book may end up on a metaphorical shelf in my mind, along side other books that have managed to linger in my thoughts and dreams, sometimes just because the story they tell made me happy, beautiful prose filled with promises.
With that in mind I can’t wait to find the next inspiring read, one that can join all those colourful covers and enrich my life – and yes I am open to suggestions!
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
Joseph Addison
Vor mir die Welt, the Meike Winnemuth’s blog about her twelve month adventure around the world … it is written in German though!
jensinewall 