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From: [log in to unmask] (Florian Radvan)
New Book Announcement (to all with an interest in Peter Weiss and / or
autobiographical writing in the second part of the twentieth century):
Florian Radvan. Peter Weiss: Abschied von den Eltern. München:
Oldenbourg, 2003. ISBN: 3-486-01445-5. 11,90 Euro.
Peter Weiss is best known for his plays, such as Marat / Sade or Die
Ermittlung, and for his novel trilogy Die Ästhetik des Widerstands.
However, his novella Abschied von den Eltern which was published in
1961 and formed a cornerstone of his literary career in Germany
deserves equal attention. In this text Weiss retells the story of his
childhood and youth, which was marked by feelings of isolation, peer
pressure and, later, emigration from Nazi Germany, but also coincided
with the discovery of his artistic abilities. After Peter Weiss’ death
in 1982 and the subsequent publication of his letters and diaries, it
became increasingly clear that Abschied, which had been widely read as
an autobiographical text, should not be misunderstood as an authentic
account of the author’s youth. In the novella Weiss intricately
interwove reality and fiction, thereby reinventing his early self.
This new book briefly takes account of all major studies on Abschied
and then highlights, among others, the issues of family structures,
emigration, the status of the artist in bourgeois society, literary
socialisation, and sexuality. It also examines the influence
psychoanalysis had on the production of Abschied.
If you have queries about the book or would like to order a review
copy, please contact:
Annette Kuenkamp
Oldenbourg Verlag
– Presse und Werbung –
Rosenheimer Straße 145
81671 München
Telefon: +49 (0) 89 4 50 51-2 45
Fax: +49 (0) 89 4 50 51-2 00
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Internet: http://www.oldenbourg-bsv.de
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