The Madonna on the Moon

Zusatztext “Thrilling. . . . A hopeful and frequently hilarious story of using one’s courage! patience! and wits to stand up against oppression. Weaving folklore! political drama! a coming-of-age story! and a morality tale together! Bauerdick has created an original.” — The Daily Beast “Bauerdick’s use of language! ably aided by an excellent translation! will bring to life the absurdities of love! life! history! religion and politics in a colorful lingual brew.” — Washington Independent Review of Books “Rolf Bauerdick is a natural-born storyteller. The fierce realism of his story spoils neither its magic nor its humor.” — Spiegel Online “A dazzling book! larger than life! exuberantly picturesque. . . . German literature has a powerful new voice—and most of all an unusual one.” — Focus “Bizarre and anarchistic! The Madonna on the Moon is enormously entertaining.” — Die Welt “Sparkle[s] with fun and wit. . . . Uniquely populated by a cast of bizarre and enjoyable characters.” — Publishers Weekly   “Smart readers will grab this European Book Prize winner.” — Library Journal Informationen zum Autor Rolf Bauerdick was born in 1957. He studied literature and theology before turning to journalism and photography. His work has been awarded numerous prizes, among them Germany's prestigious Hansel Mieth Prize. His articles have been published in  Der Spiegel , Geo , and  Playboy , among other publications. He lives in a converted flour mill in Northern Germany with his wife and children.  The Madonna on the Moon,  his first novel, won the European Book Award. Translated from the German by David Dollenmayer. Klappentext Winner of the European Book AwardNovember! 1957. The Soviets have just launched the Sputnik! and communism rules in Eastern Europe! but the village of Baia Luna! nestled in the Carpathian mountains! is a world unto itself! populated with gypsy-philosophers and mysterious priests. But for fifteen-year-old Pavel Botev! this world begins to come apart the day teacher asks him to hang a photo of the new party secretary! then whispers a startling directive into his ear. "Send this man straight to hell. Exterminate him." The next morning! she has disappeared. Once a priest turns up murdered! Pavel sets out on a journey for answers-one that leads him into the frontiers of a new life. By turns grippingly realist and enchantingly surreal! The Madonna on the Moon announces the arrival of an important new voice in fiction. Chapter One Baia Luna, New York, and Angela Barbulescu’s Fear “He’s flying! He’s flying! Long live Socialism! Three cheers for the party!”   The three Brancusi brothers, Liviu, Roman, and Nico, burst into our taproom one evening about eight in a splendid mood, their chests swelling with pride and the cash to stand a few rounds burn- ing holes in their pockets.   “Who’s flying?” asked my grandfather Ilja.   “The dog of course! Laika! The first animal in space! Aboard Sputnik II! Brandy, Pavel! Zuika for everybody! But avanti ! It’s on us.” Liviu was playing the big shot, and I could foresee I’d have to run myself ragged the next few hours.   “Gr-gr-gr-gravity has been co-co-conquered! Now nothing can hold back pr-pr-progress. Sp-Sputnik beeps and Laika b-barks all around the w-w-world,” Roman stammered, as he always did when his tongue couldn’t keep up with his excitement.   “Progress, yes sir,” Nico, the youngest Brancusi, fell in with his stammering brother. “A toast to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics! Side by side we will be victorious! We will conquer the heavens!”   “You can keep your schnapps to yourselves.” The Saxons Hermann Schuster and Karl Koch threw on their coats and left the taproom.   Trouble hung in the air that November 5, 1957. It was ...

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Thrilling. . . . A hopeful and frequently hilarious story of using one s courage, patience, and wits to stand up against oppression. Weaving folklore, political drama, a coming-of-age story, and a morality tale together, Bauerdick has created an original. The Daily Beast

Bauerdick s use of language, ably aided by an excellent translation, will bring to life the absurdities of love, life, history, religion and politics in a colorful lingual brew. Washington Independent Review of Books

Rolf Bauerdick is a natural-born storyteller. The fierce realism of his story spoils neither its magic nor its humor. Spiegel Online

A dazzling book, larger than life, exuberantly picturesque. . . . German literature has a powerful new voice and most of all an unusual one. Focus

Bizarre and anarchistic, The Madonna on the Moon is enormously entertaining. Die Welt

Sparkle[s] with fun and wit. . . . Uniquely populated by a cast of bizarre and enjoyable characters. Publishers Weekly
 
Smart readers will grab this European Book Prize winner. Library Journal

Product details

• Authors: Rolf Bauerdick, David Dollenmayer
• Assisted by: David Dollenmayer (Translation)
• Publisher: Vintage USA
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback
• Released: 30.04.2014
• EAN: 9780307739759
• ISBN: 978-0-307-73975-9
• No. of pages: 416
• Dimensions: 135 mm x 205 mm x 22 mm
• Series: VINTAGE BOOKS
• Subject: Fiction > Narrative literature