Synopses & Reviews
Part political thriller, part meditation on the nature of desire and betrayal, tells the story of Stefan Vogel, a young East German, whose yearnings for love, glory, and freedom express themselves in a lifelong fantasy of going to America. By a series of increasingly dangerous maneuvers, he makes this fantasy come true, his past seemingly locked behind the Berlin Wall and a new life of unbounded bliss ahead of him. But then his world begins to fall apart.
Review
"Pitch-perfect. . . . And what finely wrought characters. . . . ['s] complex plot falls into place with the irresistible inevitability of a clockwork's gears and levers." Toronto Globe and Mail
Review
"A surprising and nuanced novel . . . that skillfully blends the political and the personal." The New Republic
Review
"Poet James Lasdun confirms his career as an important novelist. . . . Macabre but sensationally authentic." New York Sun
Review
"Grimly funny, painfully sad, and beautifully written." Marcus Eliason
Synopsis
Dreaming of a life of glory and freedom in America, East German youth Stefan Vogel engages in a series of increasingly dangerous adventures to attain his goal, which involves his marriage to the woman of his dreams and an escape from dark secrets hidden behind the Berlin Wall. By the author of The Horned Man. Reprint.
Synopsis
"Superb. . . . Every page of this narration bears examples of Lasdun's own poetic mastery. . . . Shockingly vivid."--
About the Author
James Lasdun's previous books include The Horned Man, named a New York Times Notable Book and The Economist Best Book of the Year. He teaches at Princeton University and lives in Shady, New York.