Provincial Guldenberg is still reeling from World War II when a flood of German refugees arrives from the east, Bernhard Haber's family among them. Life is hard enough--Bernhard's father has lost an arm and his carpenter's income. But added to this injury comes an accumulation of insults, as the upright town turns hostile toward the newcomers. After a string of mysterious losses--from the killing of the boy's dog to the unexplained death of his father--Bernhard is set on extracting revenge.
Rich with psychological insight, Christoph Hein's acclaimed novel tells Bernhard's story across nearly fifty years, chronicling his remarkable rise from victimized outsider to Guldenberg's most prominent burgher. What began as a geographic dislocation evolves into a personal quest: the thirst for vengeance yields to the deeper need for a home and settling down proves more important than settling grudges. As the socialist state gives way to reunification and the capitalism of the 1990s, Hein's masterful, multivoiced narration charts the transformation not just of one man but of an entire nation struggling to leave history behind and claim a home.--*"The Times Literary Supplement" (London)
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Provincial Guldenberg is still reeling from World War II when a flood of German refugees arrives from the east, Bernhard Haber's family among them. Life is hard enough--Bernhard's father has lost an arm and his carpenter's income. But added to this injury comes an accumulation of insults, as the upright town turns hostile toward the newcomers. After a string of mysterious losses--from the killing of the boy's dog to the unexplained death of his father--Bernhard is set on extracting revenge.
Rich with psychological insight, Christoph Hein's acclaimed novel tells Bernhard's story across nearly fifty years, chronicling his remarkable rise from victimized outsider to Guldenberg's most prominent burgher. What began as a geographic dislocation evolves into a personal quest: the thirst for vengeance yields to the deeper need for a home and settling down proves more important than settling grudges. As the socialist state gives way to reunification and the capitalism of the 1990s, Hein's masterful, multivoiced narration charts the transformation not just of one man but of an entire nation struggling to leave history behind and claim a home.--*"The Times Literary Supplement" (London)
Imprint | Metropolitan Books (imprint of Henry Holt & Company) |
Country of origin | United States |
Release date | August 2008 |
Availability | Supplier out of stock. If you add this item to your wish list we will let you know when it becomes available. |
First published | November 2008 |
Authors | Christopher Hein |
Dimensions | 210 x 140 x 26mm (L x W x T) |
Format | Hardcover - With dust jacket |
Pages | 320 |
Edition | First |
ISBN-13 | 978-0-8050-7768-1 |
Barcode | 9780805077681 |
Categories | |
LSN | 0-8050-7768-5 |