Love love loved this. As with any collection, some stories worked more for me than others (I felt the first handful were much more powerful than those closer to the end)-- but the premise behind this was so unique and well done that I can't give it anything lower than 4 stars. And that preface? Publish that as a standalone essay, PLEASE. Can't wait to read more by this author

Skoro nie mogę gwiazdek przepołowić - daję pięć!
Jeśli co opowiadanie rośnie we mnie pewność, że do tej książki wrócę - nie świadczy samo za siebie?
Niemal wszystkie te opowiadania/eseje to prawdziwe koncerty wyobraźni, erudycji, niezwykłego literackiego kunsztu.
I na dokładkę to tłumaczenie! Wielka klasa!
W tej chwili - w rywalizacji o Angelusa - moja faworytka.

Ein so und so Buch, manche Geschichten verdienen 2 Sterne, andere 4.

Sie scheint viel Zeit in der Bibliothek verbracht zu haben. Sie kann gut aus vielfachen Sichten schreiben. Die Teile wo sie mehr Gefuehle beschreibt, zB die autobiografische Geschichte, sind besser.

Die Autorin hat den gleichen Jahrgang wie ich und ist auch aus dem Osten.

certainly some beautiful, unusual writing, but parts were too dense and uninteresting for me.

At times, I wonder whether I’ve fully grasped a novel. An Inventory of Losses by German author Judith Schalansky (1980) offers a collection of short stories – or rather, ‘reflections’ – that delve into ‘irretrievably lost’ cultural or natural heritage, such as the Pacific island of Tuanaki, the Caspian tiger, Sappho’s love poems and a lost painting of the harbour of Greifswald by Caspar David Friedrich. Not all contributions are directly tied to the lost items themselves. While some include historical references, others are more aptly described as anecdotal musings. They reminded me of the work of Han Kang ([b:The White Book|36294380|The White Book|Han Kang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506238174l/36294380._SY75_.jpg|50806147]), although better developed.

A highlight is the preface, where Schalansky reflects on loss and themes like death, legacy, memory, and transience. In the preamble before this, she lists the lost and rediscovered heritage during the time of her writing, which I found intriguing. Ultimately, though, I couldn’t fully appreciate the novel. It is well-written but often feels aimless, and having to restart every 15 pages didn’t quite work for me either.

Next on my list is [b:Grove|49449761|Grove|Esther Kinsky|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1576713350l/49449761._SY75_.jpg|60836018] by Esther Kinsky.

Ein aufwendig recherchiertes Buch über Dinge, die der Welt verloren gingen. Ein Sammelsurium vom Kaspischen Tiger über Sapphos Liebeslieder hin zum Palast der Republik, Alexander dem Grosse, Caruso, Buddha, Freud, Greta Garbo und viele mehr kommen vor. Mit grosser erzählerischer Wucht verbindet die Autorin all dies und hat ein spannendes Verzeichnis von Verschollenem geschaffen.

Interesting subject, unbearable prose.