I adore libraries, probably more than bookstores. Libraries not only regulate the sustainable circulation of books among people, but also provide a space for reading, writing and killing time. They gave me solace when I lived abroad and felt it otherwise hard to integrate into a foreign society. I love a good library. I thought […]
My first impressions of Berlin were formed thanks to Vladimir Nabokov. In his short stories, Berlin was often another literary hero, personified, moody, cooperative towards the protagonists or not. My most favourite short story ever, called “Blagost” (“Beneficence”), features Brandenburger Tor as a setting where the action takes place and the hero undergoes a personal […]
How about visiting the oldest operating bookstore in the world? Livraria Bertrand in Lisbon (Rua Garrett 73, Lisbon 1200-203, Portugal), opened its doors as far back as 1732! Established by a Frenchman living in Lisbon, this store has had a long and incredibly interesting life, from changing owners to devastating earthquake and being a […]
Both museums are located next to each other and belong to the German Literature Archive, whose goal is to “acquire, collect and make accessible unique pieces of writing and images and objects related to German-language literature and intellectual history from the eighteenth century to the present.” What this basically means is that most exhibits are […]