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My Marriage
My Marriage | Jakob Wassermann
8 posts | 2 read | 4 to read
Alexander Herzog, a young writer, goes to Vienna to escape his debts and a failed love affair. There he is pursued by book-loving Ganna: giddy, girlish, clumsy, eccentric, and wild. Dazzled and unnerved by her devotion to him, and attracted to the large dowry offered by her wealthy father, he thinks he can mold Ganna into what he wants. But no one can control her troubling passions. As their marriage starts to self-destruct, Herzog will discover that he can never escape her. Posthumously published in 1934 and based on Wassermann's own ruinous marriage, My Marriage is a tragic masterpiece that unfolds in shocking detail. This story of rare intensity and drama is now brought to English readers in a powerful translation by Michael Hofmann.
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review
sisilia
My Marriage | Jakob Wassermann
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Mehso-so

2⭐️ Ganna Herzog is probably the worst female character that I‘ve ever encountered 🤦🏻‍♀️ She is as annoying as an immortal gnat! The whole book is about her igniting hell in her husband‘s life; and he‘s indirectly encouraging her as he lacks courage to push back. Yeah, double negatives don‘t make a positive here, just a tired reader.

Lindy Well, at least you got through it… 5y
TheSpineView "Immortal Gant" love that description! ? 5y
Susannah Terrific review, though! 😊 5y
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sisilia @Lindy I was so happy when I hit the last page. What an accomplishment! 😅 5y
Liz_M I read the first sentence and thought "that fits the #nyrbbookclub inadvertent theme of terrible women" ? ? ? 5y
sisilia @Liz_M Hahaha 😆🙈 More and more of them 5y
65 likes7 comments
blurb
sisilia
My Marriage | Jakob Wassermann
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I am struggling at 24%! I am not looking forward to opening this book every time I settle down to read it 😭

The drama I had with my ex-boyfriend is much more interesting than this 🙈

TrishB I‘d just bail! 5y
sisilia @TrishB I wanted to, but I‘m leading the discussion for the bookclub next week 😅 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 5y
batsy 😂 5y
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Lindy I would skip to the last chapter and read that. With luck, that would give me enough motivation to go back and read the rest. If it doesn‘t, I would search online for as much information about the author and his writing as I could, with the hope that would inspire me to return to the book with fresh eyes. If I still couldn‘t bring myself to finish the book, at least I would be armed with material to discuss it. 5y
sisilia Thanks for the tips @Lindy 😘 5y
Lindy @sisilia 🍀 5y
Suet624 Great tips, @Lindy 5y
Lindy @Suet624 Thanks. @sisilia -Have you had your meeting? How did it go? 5y
sisilia @Lindy Not yet 😆 It‘s this Sunday... 5y
Lindy @sisilia 💪 5y
63 likes10 comments
blurb
sisilia
My Marriage | Jakob Wassermann
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Let‘s see how crazy this lady is 😅 I remember @emilyhaldi saying that she‘s worse than Harriet from After Claude

TheSpineView I have not read yet. Therefore, I am curious what you think about it. 5y
MicheleinPhilly Worse than Harriett??? That‘s a pretty high bar @emilyhaldi! 5y
LeahBergen I have this one, too. 👏🏻 5y
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emilyhaldi This is an odd one... Curious to see what you think! And YES @MicheleinPhilly I swear she's worse than Harriet 🖤 5y
sisilia @emilyhaldi Not easy to get into 😭 5y
emilyhaldi It's a rough read for sure 😬 5y
59 likes6 comments
review
emilyhaldi
My Marriage | Jakob Wassermann
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Mehso-so

My first “so-so” #nyrb 😕 A fascinating story being that it‘s based on the author‘s own marriage. The wife, Ganna, seems like a strong case of Bipolar/Schizophrenia based on my experience with a cousin with the same diagnosis (in my own very humble and not certified opinion). Unfortunately the story was a bit tedious and repetitive after a point.
I hope you enjoy this one more than me!! @LeahBergen

LeahBergen Eee! I hope I do, too. 😬 6y
Reviewsbylola Skipping this one! 5y
Mdargusch Looks dark, sounds dark. 5y
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sisilia 🙈 This is my pick for the IRL NYRB Bookclub for Sept hahahaha... Let‘s see 5y
emilyhaldi The premise is so good, I understand why you picked it!! @sisilia and I enjoyed the writing style very much...But if you think Harriet is crazy just wait until you meet Ganna! 5y
sisilia Whoaaaa omg @emilyhaldi Harriet, Cathy #EoE , and Ganna 😨 Hahahaha.. How fun! 😆 5y
emilyhaldi No kidding @sisilia I clearly have a theme at the moment 😜 5y
83 likes7 comments
blurb
emilyhaldi
My Marriage | Jakob Wassermann
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Herzog thinks eccentric Ganna is going to be an #easylover with her large dowry and giddy, clumsy demeanor. But his plan backfires when Ganna‘s passions are more uncontrollable than he figured and he realizes he can never escape her!!! I haven‘t read this yet but after rereading the summary it might be next on my list!! I love myself some crazy 🤪
#anglophileapril

Reviewsbylola That sounds wild! 6y
LeahBergen It‘s still on my TBR, too. 🙄 6y
Cinfhen Ohhhhh, this works for #pop19 #publishedposthumous #stacked 6y
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emilyhaldi Yes!! Thanks for that! @Cinfhen 🤗 you‘re quick! 6y
Cinfhen I‘m only aware bc I checked the list yesterday to see which prompts I‘m missing and that was one of them😆 6y
Mdargusch Looks perfect for you just by that cover! 6y
Mdargusch I‘m reading @Cinfhen for that prompt 6y
Cinfhen I really liked that book @Mdargusch excellent choice 💙 6y
82 likes8 comments
blurb
LeahBergen
My Marriage | Jakob Wassermann
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I‘m in Montreal this week and I‘ve made my first book purchase. Thanks to @emilyhaldi for the recommendation!

#NYRB

Cathythoughts Sounds good ! Stacked 6y
emilyhaldi Oohhhh we might have to try and coordinate this read!! I hope I didn‘t steer you wrong 🤞🏻 6y
LeahBergen @Cathythoughts I thought it sounded good, too. 👍🏻 6y
LeahBergen @emilyhaldi Yes, definitely! Let me know when you feel like starting it. 😘 6y
94 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
emilyhaldi
My Marriage | Jakob Wassermann
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I allowed myself 1 book purchase while in NY and fittingly it is a #nyrb classic 🖤

Alexander travels to Vienna and is captivated by the passion and flattery of Ganna, as well as her dowry. Though she doesn‘t fit the mold of the wife he had imagined, he is deluded in believing that he can change her once married. Instead he finds that Gianna cannot be controlled! Based on the author‘s own failed marriage. #takeachanceonme
#abbainaugust

Cinfhen Well done 👌🏽 6y
Kalalalatja Sounds great! #stacked 6y
BarbaraBB Sounds perfect! 6y
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LeahBergen Oooooh! It sounds fab. Stacked! 6y
Reviewsbylola Wow, great self control! 👏🏻 6y
Mdargusch Works great for this prompt. 👍🏼 6y
emilyhaldi @Reviewsbylola if my suitcase wasn‘t so damn heavy already I wouldn‘t have restrained myself so much 😂😂 (edited) 6y
Meredith3 🖤🖤🖤 6y
101 likes2 stack adds8 comments