Tim Luscombe has to pass his german language exam to get German citizenship so he can cross easily into Germany after Brexit. He is one of those odd people who can live in one country and work in another. Apparently he lived for years in Germany without ever learning the language, which says something quite interesting about Germany. But now reluctantly but with considerable wit, he’s learning german (badly). What we learn is actually that the european union is more than a trade agreement: to be European is as passionate and about identity as any other. With considerable grief Luscombe is forced to choose between being British and German. His journey is moving, funny and it and shows us a different side of this whole Brexit debate.

I read this book because I thought it would be about Brexit and I wanted to understant more about what was going on, but actually I ended up learning a lot about Berlin and Germany. Berlin comes across as the most fantastic place to live, and on the back of reading this book i might start planning a trip to spend the weekend there. This is a personal, but well informed showcase of what modern Berlin is like: tolerant, international, edgy and yet undeniably German. Luscombe, the author, clearly loves the place, for all his frustrations with the German language, the German people and his German teacher.

Despite the government’s best efforts to pretend that Brexit has been a success, this hilarious and insightful book shows the complexity of leaving the EU. It was never just about trade. It was also about identity and being part of something larger.

We live in such a turbulent, polarized time that everyone seems to be political. It’s hard to imagine someone could be a playwright and not be politically engaged. This is what’s Brexit’s done for many people – it’s made them political animals, made them care about nationalisation and globalisation, when they really wouldn’t be engaged in the first place. The best thing about 'LGB' is that it’s about that man’s story. An apolitical guy who got smacked in the face by politics, aka Brexit. His core identity is questioned: can he be both English and European when England is no longer a part of Europe? Since he’s been forced to give up one of the two identities, is he a unilingual Englishman living in Germany/working in the England, or is he an expat who has to learn German? The hurt and confusion is more than just about German grammar. It’s an engagement with what it means to belong to a larger unit, the limits of nationalism and the need to find our own place in the world. And it’s pretty damn funny too.

In this very funny memoir Tim Luscombe, British and living in Germany, attempts to get to grips with the German language whilst having a lot of fun in Berlin. A book for anyone who has ever tried to learn German. Tim turns the frustrations we have all suffered in the classroom into laugh out loud anecdotes, even including humour about German adjective endings! Meanwhile outside of class Tim is struggling to turn Jane Austen’s Emma into a stage show relevant to today, and enjoying everything Berlin has to offer. He is also worrying about family back in the UK, and juggling work opportunities in the UK with his life in Berlin. So many things an expat can identify with – only a lot funnier! In the midst of all this, the Brexit referendum is about to happen. Tim describes his reaction to the result, and the uncertainty of being a Brit living in Europe during the referendum aftermath. I think its fair to say that his sense of humour dampens a little at this stage, but the antics of his classmates soon bring laughter back to the pages. In addition to Tim’s personal take on life in Germany, he offers fascinating insights into the culture and history of the German people, with plenty of information for visitors to Berlin including buildings of historical interest, art and eclectic music and entertainment venues. There is also a short section about gay nightlife. This is a book that celebrates Europe, exploring Berlin and all its wonderfulness and bringing humour to the world of language learning and Brexit. 5*s from me, as I laughed out loud throughout this book. Everything in it is so true to life, and in line with many of my experiences of being an expat in Austria. Note: Don’t read this in bed whilst your partner is trying to sleep – trying to laugh quietly is very irritating (so I’m told!)