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Thursday, Jul 10
Format: Paperback
Description
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • Hailed for its coiled eroticism and the moral claims it makes upon the reader, this mesmerizing novel is a story of love and secrets, horror and compassion, unfolding against the haunted landscape of postwar Germany. "A formally beautiful, disturbing and finally morally devastating novel." —Los Angeles Times When he falls ill on his way home from school, fifteen-year-old Michael Berg is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age. In time she becomes his lover—then she inexplicably disappears. When Michael next sees her, he is a young law student, and she is on trial for a hideous crime. As he watches her refuse to defend her innocence, Michael gradually realizes that Hanna may be guarding a secret she considers more shameful than murder. Read more
Publisher : Vintage
Publication date : January 1, 1997
Edition : 1st
Language : English
Print length : 218 pages
ISBN-10 : 1
ISBN-13 : 71
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 5.14 x 0.6 x 7.99 inches
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Paperback
I was first introduced to this work by a Danish friend who is a voracious reader, shortly after the book was first published in 1995. He loaned me his copy. I had never heard of Bernhard Schlink before. I can remember thinking what a brilliant, well written novel it is. And for a while, it would remain in a quirky European "niche" of great modern novels relatively few Americans have heard of. Then Oprah Winfrey made this a selection for her book club. I sing hosannas in her praise, because such outstanding literature deserves much wider readership. After two decades I decided to give it a re-read, and found it just as impressive, the second time around. The novel works well along several different dimensions. There is the love story. Or is it an obsession? Or is it just lust that lasts a lifetime? The narrator is Michael Berg, age 15 when the novel commences. It is the fulfillment of every adolescent boy's dream. Serendipity leads him into a love affair with a 36 year old woman, Hanna Schmitz. The year is around 1959. Schlink describes the love scenes with great skill... with just a sufficient amount of detail... to, er, ah, place the reader in the scene. I had to struggle with whether or not Schlink attributed too much maturity to a 15 year old. As Leonard Cohen once proclaimed: "I never met a woman until I was 65; before then I only saw these miracles before me." Yet young Berg seemed to realize that the eroticism was not in some body part or piece of clothing, but in the manner in which she held herself, and conveyed her invitation to him. She managed to "imprint" herself upon him - intentionally or not - the question would haunt him... and he would carry various images of her throughout his life. Some of the images, naturally were erotic in nature, others were how her skirt billowed out as she rode the bike in the countryside. Sad to say, the "reality check" is, at least in America, somehow, today, all of this would be illegal. Hanna Schmitz is illiterate. And she hides it. She goes to great lengths to hide it. It takes Berg a considerable period of time to figure this out due to her clever dissimulation. Schlink provides the clues for the reader, who, as intended, figures it out before Berg does. One just does not expect someone in the Western world to be illiterate. This aspect of the novel particularly resonated, because I have literally, as it were, "been there." I still vividly remember the moment that I realized that the lieutenant could not read a map, and it was a moment that he desperately needed to be able to read the map... but unlike Hanna, he admitted it to me... and thus, under "other duties as assigned," I became "The Reader" for him, just like Michael Berg. Schmitz was of that certain age that ensured her participation in the Second World War, as a German, with a role in the Holocaust. She is being tried for that role. In many ways she does not understand the process - legal or political. And at one point in the trial she asks the judge the subject question: "I mean... so what would you have done?" Schlink ensures that the reader considers this a reasonable question, while at the same time pointing out that in the "legal system" a defendant is not permitted to ask a judge such a question. Meanwhile, Berg himself, a much older Berg, who is in law school, struggles with the dilemma of trying to balance condemnation with understanding. The German people, "of a certain age," have spent much time trying to conceal their involvement with the evils of their participation in that war, while only a few have been willing to confront it. As Schlink points out, there is a major division within German society itself between those of that certain age, and their children. There remains that "there but for fortunate go I" aspect of a certain time and place. And then there is the matter of that aforementioned lieutenant, and the evils of another war. The German people have paid out reparations, in an effort of partial atonement. Can we as Americans say the same? But that is another book... as for Schlink's, 6-stars.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2015 by John P. Jones III
Format: Paperback
In the book The Reader, Bernhard Schlink narrates the story of Michael, a fifteen year old boy who has a love affair with Hanna, a woman over twice his age. Schlink's novel follows Michael through adulthood as his life intermittently intertwines with that of Hanna. Set over the backdrop of Nazi and post-World War II Germany, The Reader offers more than a fictional tale of one man's struggle to come to terms with his past. Through the characters of Michael and Hanna, the author provides his audience with insight into German society and its attitude toward the past. Although Schlink's novel appears incredulous at times, his metaphoric approach to Michael and Hanna's relationship illustrates the difficulties modern Germany has faced in acknowledging and overcoming its Nazi past. Schlink's characters have a metaphoric quality. Michael represents modern Germany while Hanna's character is symbolic of old Germany. The relationship of two Germanies is expressed in that of the characters. In the book Michael asks himself "Why does it make me so sad when I think back to that time... Is it the knowledge of what came later, and that what came out afterwards had been there all along?" Michael is referring to the knowledge he gains later in life when he discovers that Hanna was employed as a guard in a Nazi work camp. Michael's reaction of sadness or even a sense of disappointment can be seen as symbolic of the reaction of Germany's modern youth to the involvement of their parents in the Nazi regime. Schlink's generation in Germany finds disappointment in their parent's acceptance or lack of resistance to the Nazis. By questioning how involved their parents were, Schlink's generation can no longer look back on their youth in the same way. It has become polluted by knowledge. Michael's relationship with his father further serves to metaphorical express that of old and new Germany, as does many of the other relationships throughout the book. If the audience wishes to examine the content of the book through a metaphorical analysis, they might also imagine Michael and his ex-wife, Gertrude, as symbolic of East and West Germany. His daughter, Julia, "who swam like a fish in water" when he and Gertrude were together, yet seemed out of her element when they were separated could be seen as the German people. Numerous metaphors exist or could be imagined within the text. Instead of focusing on who or what is represented by this or that person, it might be more helpful to analyze the behavior of the characters to better understand West German society. Three events within the book stand out to me as revealing of attitudes, both of the old and the post-World War II West Germany. All of these events occur in the last chapters of the novel. First, I found it interesting that Hanna refuses to acknowledge her illiteracy even though it might spare her harsh sentencing for her crimes. Her unwillingness to admit her inability to read seems prideful. This act suggests that in a society in which the literacy rate is above 90% an individual who is illiterate might be ostracized. Hanna's refusal to allow anyone to know that she is unable to read also implies that being illiterate is worse than admitting you were a member of a party that killed innocent people. It is worse to steal than it was to kill an individual. By suggesting that killing an enemy of the state (Jewish or foreign worker) was better than illiteracy or theft implied that old Germany had no remorse for its actions. That being indifferent to murder of such `enemies' was just part of doing your job and no one should be held accountable for these actions. In addition to the nonchalant reaction of old Germany to murder as portrayed by Hanna, I also felt that Michael's resuming his reading to Hanna provided insight into West German society. Although Schlink's generation was saddened by their parent's involvement or lack of revolt against the Nazi regime, it seems that they ultimately forgave them. Michael's reading to Hanna is symbolic of this forgiveness. His initial reaction with Hanna is to be accusatory. After Michael moves beyond his desire to accuse he does not altogether forgive. Instead, his reconciliation with Hanna occurs in steps. He begins to send tape recordings of various books to Hanna while she is in prison. However, this is the only contact he allows. After some time, Michael agrees to see Hanna and assist her in the process of assimilation into modern society. Michael's actions seem to represent new or modern Germany's forgiveness of their parent's or their country's past actions. Although they might not agree with these actions, it is necessary to acknowledge the past in order to precede forward. Regardless if the audience approaches the book from a metaphorical analysis or just as general fiction, the book seems to be speaking about acknowledgement and forgiveness. Not that one must agree with what has happened, rather forgiveness in the sense that what has happened is our past. We must accept some responsibility or ownership for this past in order to move forward. The book is extremely open for interpretation. I do not feel that my perception of the overall message is the only possibility. This lack of absoluteness and the length of the book might be its most interesting aspects. Although the novel is only 218 pages, it speaks volumes.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2007 by Nitchy McPoopypants