Germany’s foremost literary export in the last quarter century has undoubtedly been Bernhard Schlink’s novel
The Reader. Published in German as
Der Vorleser(1995), it was propelled to international acclaim by the English translation of Carol Brown Janeway (1997); since then it has been translated into over 35 languages. It was an Oprah Winfrey Book Club selection (1999), which no doubt contributed to the novel’s meteoric cultural ascent. The novel is a favorite in U.S. college German programs, and virtually required reading in British and German college preparatory schools. Fifteen years after its publication,
The Readercontinues to play a significant role in German public culture and beyond.
“The Reader” of the novel’s title is Michael Berg, a middle-class fifteen year-old
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Citation: Donahue, William Collins. "Der Vorleser". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 18 January 2011 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=24331, accessed 23 November 2024.]
