Das Beben

Until I took this book in my hands the authors was an unknown to me. Nevertheless, the fact that he had been given the Büchner Award (the most prestigious literature award in Germany) is a good recommendation. I cannot say that the story is particularly moving, I would rather say that this is a book of three basic ideas. It is fragmented like the lives of many of us. From the perspective of the main character – an architect of hotels – the story is divided into a love story in Europe and an out-of-culture experience in India. The first part is a great example of an unfulfilled life full with everything. The funny part of the book is the lot of cultural criticism – he departs from the Hundertwasser-mania (an Austrian multi-artist with mass appeal). The obviousness of the original make the criticism very, very funny. !5 years ago I wouldn’t have found it funny since I was also a follower of the maestro.
The second part in India is fun. The architect took this job in India mainly to forget his love story because here lover cheated on him with the maestro. Besides that, it is foremost all a well digested Indian travel diary.