The History of History – A Novel of Berlin

Description

Written in 1959 Günter Grass’ character-driven novel follows the life of Oskar Matzerath, an insane dwarf born in Danzig (now Gdansk) on the Polish-German border, prior to World War II. The use of magical realism that returns throughout this picaresque tale and purported autobiography starts when Oskar at the age of three declares that he would never be a politician or a grocer, but would remain as he was. And so he remains the same size and continues to wear the same clothing, never to become part of the adult world. Written in 1959 the novel examines the events that led up to and followed the war, beginning with a battle between Poles and Germans in Danzig, while Oskar joins a troupe of traveling musicians, leads a group of anarchists, and falls in love, before ending up in a mental hospital. Acclaimed as the greatest German novel since the end of the war, Grass’ portrayal of this self-stunted dwarf with a piercing scream provides a hilarious and scathing perspective on both German history and the human condition.