Every year I choose my favorite book of the year that I have read, and my favorite for 2019 was "Every Man Dies Alone," by Hans Fallada. I had read that one of his other books, "Wolf Among Wolves," was his most ambitious novel. I held off on reading it because it was almost 1,000 pages, but I found myself in 2020 with more time on my hands, all thanks to COVID-19 and two canceled trips. It is written right before World War II starts, so I get to see some of the dire circumstances of that time, in Germany. The currency is pretty much worthless and a change is on the horizon. It is a slow-moving book, and some of the language is a bit hard to understand, but I am plugging through. I still think "Every Man Dies Alone" was the better read. I had a hard time putting that book down. This book is for lazy days on the deck.
Taryn M. Eichstadt, Coon Rapids
Quarantine Reads are recommendations of soothing books during fraught times. Send your suggestions to books@startribune.com. Please include your name and city.
