Things That Disappear
Things That Disappear by Jenny Erpenbeck is a collection of interlinked miniature prose pieces published by New Directions Publishing Corporation on October 7, 2025. This edition, comprising 96 pages and written in English, explores the theme of disappearance across various contexts, from mundane objects to significant historical sites, reflecting on both personal and collective loss.
In this thought-provoking work, Erpenbeck examines the nature of what vanishes, questioning whether these losses are truly permanent or if they linger in memory. The prose pieces touch on everyday items, social norms, and elements of East German history, inviting readers to consider the implications of absence in their own lives. Translated by Kurt Beals, this collection provides insight into Erpenbeck’s literary perspective and her engagement with the past.
Official synopsis Publisher
The bestselling and award-winning German author Jenny Erpenbeck has gained international praise for her novels including Visitation, Kairos, and Go, Went, Gone. Things that Disappear is an exciting collection of interlinked miniature prose pieces that grapple with the phenomenon of disappearance on scales both large and small. The things that disappear in these pages range from everyday objects such as socks and cheese to close friends and the social norms of common courtesy, to sites and objects resonant with East German history, such as the Palace of the Republic or the lines of sight now blocked by new construction in Berlin. Erpenbeck asks: “Is there some kind of perpetrator who makes things that I know cherish and disappear?” These things disappear, and yet do they really? Do they remain in our memories more fully than if they continued to exist? Translated beautifully by Kurt Beals, Things that Disappear follows on the heels of Erpenbeck’s Man Booker-Prize winning novel Kairos and offers a window into a renowned writer’s sense of the past, and of her own self as a writer.
Author
Publisher
Topics
FAQ
What is “Things That Disappear” about?
Who is the author of “Things That Disappear”?
When was “Things That Disappear” published?
What is the ISBN for “Things That Disappear”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
