20th book of the year: “Michael Kohlhaas”, by Heinrich von Kleist. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kohlhaas)

4 3 2 1 was full of writers learning the trade from other writers and hundreds of books are mentioned. I’m sure I’ll thumb through it for more suggestions but this one was the first I chose.

I think probably best to go in completely without any idea what it is beyond: german, written early 1800s, takes place in the 1500s, and Kafka, of all people liked it a lot.

The paperback cover as I read it - just over 100 pages (slim!), an illustrated figure wearing a cloak leans against a broad sworn with one foot extended, hand to chin, only there is no chin (and no head), over a green to red to green gradient. The book title atop and author’s name below in gothic script