Saturday 13 January 2018

Thomas Bernhard, Discovering A New Author.

For the love of reading...

Admittedly, I am not so fond of reading in German but after this sojourn into eminent Austrian literature things might change. As with anything worthwhile I came to read my first Thomas Bernhard book the round about way.

A friend and I were discussing the various merits of authors and books when she happened to mention him. Mention him with reverence akin to homage. My appetite was piqued. Who might inspire so much praise and the more she told me of his character the more keen I became to meet him through one of his books.

An author of controversy, a playwright who had had a protest outside the theater due to the sharpness of his wit flowing effortlessly from his pen resulting in some rather uncomfortable introspection. He died almost thirty years ago but had decreed for none of his plays to be performed in Austria.

After hearing of him on Monday, I went to visit another friend on Wednesday, a friend who also loves to read, and told her about my next literary excursion.

" Oh wait, I think I have one of his books somewhere. "
and just like that I was lent a book of Thomas Bernhard.

An autobiography of the adventures and misadventures met around each literary price received. Absolutely divine to read, wonderful to get a feel of his acerbic wit and description of the various characters that one encounters in life.

Thomas Bernhard ( 1931-1989 )...Meine Preise (suhrkamp taschenbuch)

Biggi

No comments:

Post a Comment