My third #GermanLitMonth book completes my pair of German books, and is by chance also non-fiction: Gebrauchsanweisung für Potsdam und Brandenburg, by Antje Rávik Strubel. This is certainly odd — as if Margaret Atwood had decided to write a guide for visitors to Ontario — and I would never have chosen it if it weren’t by the great Ms Strubel, even as an adopted Brandenburger. I’m very glad I did, though.
There’s very little in common with Strubel’s more literary books, although the frequent paddling about on lakes has echoes with Kältere Schichten der Luft. The narrative voice is understandably very different, here predominantly wry, and sometimes bordering on whimsy. It’s probably best read chapter by chapter rather than straight through, as I did it, as I found it wearing at times. Nevertheless, she strikes a fine balance between love for the region and glee in poking fun at it.
The slightly odd title — Potsdam and Brandenburg? — seems to relate partly to Strubel’s own Potsdam residency, and to the more obvious visitors’ attractions of that city. There’s always an eye on what sights and information might be interesting for a visitor to the state, but she also gives a good overview of its history and geography for residents or others with an interest in it. For the majority of people who, as Strubel points out, have never even heard of Brandenburg, it’s probably not the place to start with her, but the small number of my fellow Brandenburg- and Strubel-lovers, this is essential.