Set in 1960, this novel tells of Filib Kobal's journey from his home in Carinthia to Slovenia on the trail of his missing brother, Gregor. He is armed only with two of Gregor's books: a copy book from agricultural school, and a Slovenian - German dictionary, in which Gregor has marked certain words. The resulting investigation of the laws of language and naming becomes a transformative investigation of himself and the world around him.
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Book Description
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
"Handke's eminence, displayed in a substantial oeuvre of plays, novels and poems, is reaffirmed brilliantly by his latest work," praised PW . In 1960, an alienated, 20-year-old, nascent Austrian writer of Slovenian descent, embarks on a quest to the land of his forebears.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
$18.95. f Growing through time and passing through space engross young Austrian Filip Kobal. Setting out from Austria in summer 1960, Filip crosses into Yugoslavia, following the path of his dead brother, Gregor. As companions he takes two books: his brother's old notebook and a Slovenian-German dictionary. Through the notebook he regains contact with Gregor by recapturing events from his truncated life. The dictionary explodes language into a palpable present and points Filip toward his true calling as a writer. This novel is not among Handke's best. Composed of "word sequences," it is intended "to be both consistent and imaginative," but while the latter is true, the former, woefully, is not. Amidst the swirling phrases one is apt to ask, "Just what is the point?" The answer, like this novel, is not satisfying. Paul E. Hutchison, Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
complex study of human journey,
This review is from: Repetition (Hardcover)
A rich and dense book that examines the very core of what it means to be human. Handke's intricately constructed narrative works on several levels giving the reader much to digest. It's threefold structure is at first difficult to interpret, but on repeated readings one begins to understand the significance of smaller fragmented incidents scattered throughout the text. If possible one should read the original and use the dictionary as a companion, just as the protagonist Filip Kobal does. One of the best books by one of our best contemporary authors. Highly recommended.
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