How German Is It

How German Is It follows the Hargenau brothers in post-WWII Germany as they navigate life in the fictional town of Wurtenburg. The brothers - Ulrich, a writer, and Helmut, an architect - come from a once-prestigious family now confronting its complicated relationship with Germany's past. The narrative moves through multiple perspectives and internal monologues, centering primarily on Ulrich's point of view. Against a backdrop of political tension and mysterious bombings, the brothers face questions about their family history and their place in contemporary German society. The novel examines the intersection of personal and national identity in post-war Germany, exploring how individuals and society cope with historical trauma and guilt. Through its experimental structure and layered narrative, the book raises questions about memory, truth, and the possibility of truly understanding the past.

Readers find the novel intellectually challenging but rewarding for its exploration of post-WWII German identity and cultural memory. The experimental narrative style and layered references resonate with those interested in postmodern literature. Readers appreciated: - Complex treatment of German guilt and denial - Subtle dark humor and irony - Integration of philosophical questions into the narrative - Unique prose style that mirrors German syntax Common criticisms: - Dense, fragmented writing makes the plot hard to follow - Characters feel distant and emotionally inaccessible - Too academic and self-conscious for some tastes - Requires knowledge of German history/culture Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (397 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (12 ratings) "Like reading a fever dream about Germany" - Goodreads reviewer "Brilliant but exhausting" - Amazon reviewer "The deliberate emotional flatness serves the theme but makes for difficult reading" - LibraryThing review

The Tin Drum by Günter Grass Chronicles a dwarf's life in Danzig through Nazi Germany and into the postwar period, examining national identity and historical memory through a similar lens of family dynamics and surreal elements.

The Good German by Joseph Kanon Follows an American journalist in post-war Berlin investigating a murder that uncovers layers of denial and complicity in German society.

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink Explores the relationship between a young man and an older woman in post-war Germany, revealing the complexities of guilt and reconciliation across generations.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Uses a fractured narrative structure to process the trauma of World War II through both personal and collective memory.

The White Rose by Inge Scholl Documents the true story of German resistance fighters during World War II, providing context for the political tensions and moral questions central to the Hargenau brothers' story.

📚 The novel won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction in 1981, making Walter Abish the first American author to receive this prestigious honor. 🌍 Despite writing so convincingly about Germany, Abish had never visited the country before writing the book, crafting his narrative entirely from research and imagination. 🎭 The book's German title "Wie Deutsch ist es" is a play on Friedrich Nietzsche's "Wie Man Wird, Was Man Ist" (How One Becomes What One Is). 🏛️ The fictional town of Wurtenburg is loosely based on several real German cities, particularly those rebuilt in the modernist style after WWII destruction. 📖 The novel's unique structure includes frequent parenthetical questions that interrupt the narrative, challenging readers to examine their own assumptions about German identity and history.