
The Good German
Joseph Kanon(Author)
Sphere (Publisher)
Published on 1. January 2004
Book
Paperback/Softback
528 pages
978-0-7515-3484-9 (ISBN)
Description
Jake Geismar cut his teeth as a foreign correspondent in pre-war Berlin. When he returns in 1945 to cover the Potsdam conference he finds the city unrecognisable - streets have vanished beneath the rubble, familiar landmarks truncated by high explosive. But amongst the ruins Berliners survive, including some he knew and, miraculously, his lost love, Lena. However, in the same way she refused to leave with him before the war, Lena won't join him now without finding her husband and Emil has disappeared from the safe care of the Americans who, turning a blind eye to his links with Hitler, want his expertise as a rocket designer for themselves. Trawling through the shambles of the city, through the illegal night clubs and the thriving black market, Jake discovers that the twilight war of intrigue between west and east has already begun and that he could quite easily be one of its first casualties. This superb novel from the author of Leaving Berlin is now rightly considered a modern classic.
Reviews / Votes
Magnificent Minette Walters Kanon writes for grown-ups, not for day-dreamers. That's why he is so good. Allan Massie, THE SCOTSMAN Provocative, fully realised fiction that explores, as only fiction can, the reality of history as it is lived by individual men and women. NEW YORK TIMES A story of wondrous humanity in the face of insane savagery SPECTATORMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Little, Brown Book Group
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 34 mm
Weight
371 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7515-3484-9 (9780751534849)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
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Person
Joseph Kanon is the author of Los Alamos (winner of the Edgar Award), The Prodigal Spy and The Good German. Before becoming a full-time writer, he was a publishing executive. He lives in New York City.