Kairos
Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, published by New Directions Publishing Corporation in 2024, is a literary work that explores a romance set in East Berlin at the end of the 1980s. This edition spans 293 pages and is presented in English. The narrative centers on the passionate yet challenging relationship between Katharina and Hans, which faces turmoil as the socialist German Democratic Republic begins to dissolve.
Readers will find a rich exploration of themes related to cultural heritage and identity, as the story delves into the complexities of personal and collective memory during a transformative period in German history. The book captures the existential challenges faced by individuals navigating the shifting landscapes of states and ideologies, reflecting on the nuanced experiences of both East and West. Kairos offers a profound look at love and history intertwined, making it a significant addition to contemporary world literature.
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WINNER OF THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2023 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR TRANSLATED LITERATURE
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2024 NATIONAL TRANSLATION AWARD IN PROSE
An epic storyteller with the most powerful voice in contemporary German literature, Jenny Erpenbeck has created an unforgettably compelling masterpiece with Kairos. The story of a romance begun in East Berlin at the end of the 1980s: the passionate yet difficult long-running affair of Katharina and Hans hits the rocks as a whole world–the socialist GDR–melts away. As the Times Literary Supplement writes: “The weight of history, the particular experiences of East and West, and the ways in which cultural and subjective memory shape individual identity has always been present in Erpenbeck’s work. She knows that no one is all bad, no state all rotten, and she masterfully captures the existential bewilderment of his period between states and ideologies.”
In the opinion of her superbly gifted translator Michael Hofmann, Kairos is the great post-Unification novel.
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