The Girl from East Berlin: A Romantic Docu-drama of the East-West DivideArena books, 2007 - 622 σελίδες Described as a docu-drama rather than a novel because of the extent of its fact-based storyline and material; in re-creating the milieu of a city, James Furner has achieved for the Berlin of the post-War period what Christopher Isherwood achieved for the Berlin of 30 years before. This is a realistic drama on an epic scale, set in Berlin immediately prior to the building of the Wall, which was to divide the city for three decades. Packed with humorous observations, it is a poignant story of true love intercepted by the political conflict and intrigues of the East-West power blocs. In retrospect it takes the form of a historical novel of the most authentic type: i.e. not based on an imaginative reconstruction of the past, but drawing on detailed diary entries, and the author's immediate report of strongly felt personal events, resurrected for publication after a period of almost 50 years. Few novels appear on such a grand scale as this: what begins as an inauspicious chance meeting in an East Berlin art shop leads to an adventure exploring the many social and psychological aspects characterising the division of a great European capital. It is an encyclopaedia of the soul of a city; unlikely again to be described so comprehensively or in such depth. It is as much a political novel as a love drama, especially in so far as the former impacts so heavily on the outcome of the latter. For all these reasons, the question has to be asked: if the 10 greatest true love stories of the 20th century were to be listed, then would this need to be included amongst their number? Perhaps most striking is the immediacy of its style in describing characters and events, for this contributes a compassion and authenticity more reminiscent of a memoir than a work of fiction. Is this book more correctly described as a novel or reportage? Only the reader can decide. The fact remains that this is a new and exciting literary genre, developed for most vividly telling a story which has to be told. |
Περιεχόμενα
Book | 1 |
Book II | 71 |
Book III | 95 |
Book IV | 118 |
Book V | 160 |
Book VI | 203 |
Book VII | 230 |
Book VIII | 260 |
Book XI | 352 |
Book XII | 388 |
Book XIII | 428 |
Book XIV | 451 |
Book XV | 492 |
Book XVI | 528 |
Book XVII | 551 |
Fifty Years | 605 |
Άλλες εκδόσεις - Προβολή όλων
Συχνά εμφανιζόμενοι όροι και φράσεις
beautiful began Berlinerin Brandenburg Gate Buick centre Communist cried Dieter Dietrich door East German East sector enquired everything exclaimed Dagmar exclaimed Dieter eyes feelings felt flat Fortner Frau Brüning Frau Hartmann Frau Renot Friedenau Friedrichshafen friends friendship front German Democratic Republic gesture girl Gisela glanced Graetz Strasse hand Herr Renot Irmgard joke kissed laughed letter Liebermann live looked lovers Mamma Martin Milton mind morning Neukölln never night officer Opel Papa Renot party passed perhaps Platz police political realised Renata replied Dagmar replied Dieter returned roadway S-Bahn seemed shoulder side sitting room smiling Stalin Allee stood Strausberger Platz street strolled suddenly tell There's things thought told took Treptow Treptower Park turned Volkspolizei Vopo walked West Berlin West Germany What's whilst window young couple Zoo station