The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum : Or How Violence Develops and Where It Can Lead (Penguin Twentieth Century Classics) [Paperback]

Heinrich Böll (Author), Leila Vennewitz (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (June 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140187286
• ISBN-13: 978-0140187281
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #331,168 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "unbiased" newspeople are bloodthirsty, June 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum : Or How Violence Develops and Where It Can Lead (Penguin Twentieth Century Classics) (Paperback)

A minor incident in Katrina Blum's life, turned into news by needy papers, sets in motion a series of destructive events which make the incident a horribly defining one. Boll leads the reader into an evaluation of the so-called "disintrested" and "unbiased" media, who make their living from revealing the darker side of human nature. A good book to read in the aftermath of any media "discovery" or "controversy".

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mandatory reading!, October 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum : Or How Violence Develops and Where It Can Lead (Penguin Twentieth Century Classics) (Paperback)

I have to admit, I saw the film before reading the book, and I recommend them both. In today's climate in America, - when the police profession is considered one of the noblest by liberals and conservatives alike, and the so-called "liberal" press, which crossed the line into tabloid journalism awhile ago, and which still hides behind the myth/lie of "objectivity," - this book is as timely and relevant today as it ever was, and should be mandatory viewing/reading.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A harsh and yet enlightening glance into the FRG society., June 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum : Or How Violence Develops and Where It Can Lead (Penguin Twentieth Century Classics) (Paperback)

This novel characterizes Boll's disdain for the development of an unscrupulous, powerful press who let nothing stand in the way of their 'scoop', people, truth ...... and who are accountable to no one. It also identifies some of the key issues of the time with which many people were preoccupied, for example, anti-communist feelings amongst West Germans as a result of the cold war. It is entertaining if not a little heavy to read.