Remarque's novel, published after his death, is set among German exiles who fled the Nazis and now live precariously in New York and Hollywood in the 1940s. The main character, Robert Ross, has survived by leaving everything behind, and he meets others who are similarly uprooted, working in odd jobs and the film industry while waiting for visas and for news from Europe. The book looks at memory, guilt and loneliness among people with no place to return to.
It suits readers of Remarque's earlier work, such as Arch of Triumph, who want another view of exile. It is a quieter, more reflective novel that deals with what survival costs.
Inward-looking and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1998
- Publisher
- Kiepenheuer & Witsch
- ISBN
- 9783462026870
- Language
- DE
