Berlin Cantata

Fiction & Literature, Literary
Cover of the book Berlin Cantata by Jeffrey Lewis, Haus Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Jeffrey Lewis ISBN: 9781907822421
Publisher: Haus Publishing Publication: April 24, 2012
Imprint: Haus Publishing Language: English
Author: Jeffrey Lewis
ISBN: 9781907822421
Publisher: Haus Publishing
Publication: April 24, 2012
Imprint: Haus Publishing
Language: English

A city that has lost one of its limbs and is receiving a miraculous gift, a little bump under the flesh, where the limb is just beginning to grow back. Thus does the American girl in Jeffrey Lewis's remarkable polyphonic novel describe Berlin and the "remnant Jews, secret GDR Jews...Soviet Jews...Jews who'd fled and come back with the victors, Jews who were lost mandarins now, Jews who'd believed in the universality of man and maybe still did" whom she finds at a Day of Atonement gathering in the eastern part of the city in a year soon after the Wall fell. Berlin Cantata deploys thirteen voices to tell a story not only of atonement, but of discovery, loss, identity, intrigue, mystery, insanity, sadomasochism and lies. At its centre is a country house owned successively by Jews, Nazis and Communists. In the country house, the American girl seeks her hidden past. In the girl, a local reporter seeks redemption. In the reporter, a false hero of the past seeks exposure. In the false hero, the American girl seeks a guide. And so it goes, a round of conspiracy and desire. Even as he describes his native city, the false hero describes the characters of Berlin Cantata: "We dined on wreckage. We were not afraid to beg. We continued our long tradition of believing either in nothing or too much."

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

A city that has lost one of its limbs and is receiving a miraculous gift, a little bump under the flesh, where the limb is just beginning to grow back. Thus does the American girl in Jeffrey Lewis's remarkable polyphonic novel describe Berlin and the "remnant Jews, secret GDR Jews...Soviet Jews...Jews who'd fled and come back with the victors, Jews who were lost mandarins now, Jews who'd believed in the universality of man and maybe still did" whom she finds at a Day of Atonement gathering in the eastern part of the city in a year soon after the Wall fell. Berlin Cantata deploys thirteen voices to tell a story not only of atonement, but of discovery, loss, identity, intrigue, mystery, insanity, sadomasochism and lies. At its centre is a country house owned successively by Jews, Nazis and Communists. In the country house, the American girl seeks her hidden past. In the girl, a local reporter seeks redemption. In the reporter, a false hero of the past seeks exposure. In the false hero, the American girl seeks a guide. And so it goes, a round of conspiracy and desire. Even as he describes his native city, the false hero describes the characters of Berlin Cantata: "We dined on wreckage. We were not afraid to beg. We continued our long tradition of believing either in nothing or too much."

More books from Haus Publishing

Cover of the book Skidoo by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book Maharajah of Bikaner by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book Hemingway in Italy by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book William Hughes by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book The Power of Judges by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book Price to Pay by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book The Power of Civil Servants by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book Wrongfully Removed by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book David Lloyd George by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book Mumbai To Mecca by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book Costing the Earth? by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book Energy by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book African Exodus by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book William Massey by Jeffrey Lewis
Cover of the book An Armchair Traveller's History of Beijing by Jeffrey Lewis
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy