Morenga [Paperback]

Uwe Timm (Author), Breon Mitchell (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2005

A gripping historical novel about colonial power and tribal rebellion, set in German-occupied Southwest Africa.

Uwe Timm (Headhunter, The Invention of Curried Sausage) has been described in The New Yorker as "an extraordinary storyteller." In this early novel, he focuses his narrative talents on the historical conflict between German colonists and African tribes under the leadership of the legendary Morenga in the first decade of the 20th century. A daring and brilliant military tactician, Morenga was fluent in several languages and by all reports a man of compassion, intelligence, and integrity, as he led his people towards freedom.

Recounted through the eyes of Gottschalk, an engaging fictional military veterinarian, the narrative blends quotations from historical sources with actual accounts of everyday life and military excursions. The parallels between past events and later German history, with its notions of the Untermensch (subhuman beings) and racial inferiority, are subtly brought to mind, while significant philosophical, political, and human issues are at play. Morenga is an intriguing novel of scope and significance, and it has been well served by Breon Mitchell's prize-winning translation.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This historical novel by Timm (Headhunter), first published in Germany in 1978, is an oddly fragmented montage that offers a compelling view of the title figure, a charismatic black South-West African who led the Hottentot and Herero uprising against the Germans after the Boer War. The initial protagonist is a fictional German military veterinarian named Gottschalk, who arrives in German-occupied South-West Africa in October 1904. The early chapters concern the mysterious fate of a colleague who disappears from Gottschalk's unit. From there, Timm turns to the uprising itself, his depiction of Morenga's role broken up by snapshots of secondary characters. Especially memorable are a demented trader named Klugge and a gadget-obsessed engineer named Treptow. Their adventures eventually reach a narrative dead end, though there are moments of suspense and subtle humor ("It would be years... before [Klugge] would earn the necessary capital for his more grandiose plans. This was due in part to the poverty of the population, but also to a certain characteristic tightfistedness and a corresponding cleverness in which Klugge felt he recognized something Jewish, which was not so surprising, since after all the Hottentots were Semitic in origin, as a Swedish professor... had explained to him"). The prismatic view of many ethnic, factional and moral conflicts illustrate how even supposed allies were divided from one another in this land. Though the parts never quite coalesce, the well-developed historical material and Timm's gifts as a portraitist make this an intriguing and sometimes fascinating read.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

A chilling portrayal of the loss of humanity, the blatant disregard for human life, and the misuse of power. -- Gregory H. Wolf, Southern Humanities Review

A wonderfully constructed work of art....One which moves from dry history to glorious myth. -- The Hollins Critic, Irving Malin, 1 April 2005

An important early work in the career of one of the best living German writers. -- Kirkus Reviews

The novel has a pronounced contemporary resonance. -- World Literature Today, Theodore Ziolkowski

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: New Directions Publishing Corporation (June 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811216268
• ISBN-13: 978-0811216265
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,048,826 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars very disappointed, July 21, 2003

By 

Richard Kurtz (NYC<P>NYC, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Morenga (Hardcover)

I found this book nearly unreadable....I had read a review of this book and had expectations that it would be an interesting historical novel in the tradition of The Piano Tuner and Fragrant harbor, two books that I had read recently but instead this book is composed of fragment of diaries and German military archival material. There is very little "story" and what little there is I found disjointed and diffcult to follow. This may be due to the translation but I think not -- I would not recommend this book at all.