But their hopes are ravaged, because the city, no less than the countryside, bears everywhere the mark of the dictatorship. It tries to form what isnt allowed to be thought about the ss officer who is the protagonists father. The narrator is an unidentified young woman belonging to the ethnic german minority. The land of green plums by herta muller fantastic fiction.
In romania at the height of ceausescus reign, a group of young people move to the city in search of better prospects, but they must face betrayal and suicide. Herta muller born 17 august 1953 is a romanianborn german novelist, poet, essayist and recipient of the 2009 nobel prize in literature. Set in romania at the height of ceausescus reign of terror, the land of green plums tells the story of a group of young students, each of whom has left the impoverished provinces in search of better prospects in the city. The land of green plums by herta muller librarything. Herta muller, german author, wins nobel prize in literature. Set in communist romania under the ceaucescu dictatorship, the land of green plums portrays the lives of a group of dissident students and teachers whose integrity is continuously assailed and sometimes betrayed.
The land of green plums, by herta muller im feeling a little bad for choosing this work. The fragements in this book can be patched together with the paranoid elements of the appointment. The land of green plums by herta muller, paperback barnes. The land of green plums works hauntingly, disturbingly well. The land of green plums 1994 is the third novel by nobel laureate german writer herta muller. A novelhas a staccato beat worthy of a shower scene in hitchcocks thrillers. The land of green plums nov 23, 2010 edition open library. To do so, it must question the way one uses language, the way one thinks and remembers.
Buy a cheap copy of the land of green plums book by herta muller. The land of green plums by herta muller eliza robertson youd have to have lived through that bleakness. Mullers vision of a police state manned by plum thieves reads like a kind of fairy tale on the mingled evils of gluttony, stupidity and brutality. Isbn 0810115972 no current copies separate sold 17. Yes, herta muller is a nobel prize winner who was born in romania, and yes, the land of green plums is set in that country, describing the experience of state surveillance and paranoia under the regime of the communist dictator. Herta muller is the winner of the 2009 nobel prize in literature, as well as the international impac dublin literary award and the european literature prize.
Set in romania at the height of ceausescus reign of terror, the land of green plums tells the story of a group of young people who leave the impoverished province for the city in. Perhaps muller s bestknown work, the story portrays four young people living in a totalitarian police state under the sovietimposed communist dictatorship in romania, ending with their emigration to germany. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. The recipient of the european literature prize, she has also won the international impac dublin literary award for her previous novel, the land of green plums. The land of green plums life behind an iron curtain. Perhaps muller s bestknown work, the story portrays four young people living in a totalitarian police state in communist romania, ending with their emigration to germany. The work centers on the german minority in romania under the regime of nicolae. Muller also has a low profile in the englishspeaking world, although the land of green plums won the international dublin impac literary award in 1998. Youd have to know with your body, your hands, your eyes, your mouth, the weight of that fear how its not strictly describable. Born in romania in 1953, muller lost her job as a teacher and suffered repeated threats after. A novel to immerse yourself into the nightmare uncertainty of the madness that was ceausescus romania. There are green plums in the story, but they are toxic to those who eat them in the presence of anything honorable. The land of green plums might suggest an aura of nostalgia or romanticism that doesnt fit the book on any level. Michael hofmann won the pen book ofthemonth club translation prize for roths the tale of the 1002nd night by joseph roth.
Buy land of green plums by herta muller, michael hofmann isbn. Land of green plums by muller, herta and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Set in romania at the height of ceauescus reign of terror, the land of green plums tells the story of a group of young people who leave the impoverished province for the city in. The land of green plums, by herta muller, is a novel arguably as defined by its language as its content. I think it is that aspect that interested me most, the narrative is mixed and often conflicting for the reader due to the heightened fear and paranoia of the main characters. Perhaps mullers bestknown work, the story portrays four young people living in a totalitarian police state under the sovietimposed communist dictatorship in romania, ending with their emigration to germany. The land of green plums 1993 by herta muller set in romania at the height of ceausescus reign of terror, this novel tells the story of a group of young students, each of whom has left the impoverished provinces in search of better prospects in the city. Oct 08, 2009 an extract from the passport by herta muller, winner of the 2009 nobel prize for literature, translated by martin chalmers and published in the uk by serpents tail. The land of green plums which has won the 1998 international impac dublin literary award is unnervingly claustrophobic.
Land of green plums is an unusual book, i havent read many books from the point of view of ethnic germans living in eastern europe. The land of green plums by herta muller relates a similar tale. In simple images of hieroglyphic powerpoliceman filling their pockets and mouths with green plums. The land of green plums, by herta muller book club discussion. Eliza robertson on why the land of green plums by herta muller is the best book of 1994. Set in romania at the height of ceauescus reign of terror, the land of green plums tells the story of a group of young people who leave the impoverished province for the city in search of better prospects and camaraderie. There are many interpretations of mullers literary style, and one of the most cogent is that it serves to show the reader how indirect, and isolating, life under a totalitarian regime has to be. International herald tribune this is a novel of strong, spare poetry in translation. Set in romania at the height of ceauescus reign of terror, the land of green plums tells the story of a group of young people who leave the impoverished. The land of green plums, the third novel by nobel laureate herta muller, was first published in berlin in 1993. The novel brilliantly evokes a world of cruelty and oppression.
Grounded in her personal experiences, this poetic and fragmented novella the land of green plums. Muller s vision of a police state manned by plum thieves reads like a kind of fairy tale on the mingled evils of gluttony, stupidity and brutality. Herztier is a novel by herta muller, published in 1994 by rowohlt verlag. Herta muller takes nobel prize for literature books the. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Set in romania at the height of ceausescus reign of terror, the land of green plums tells the story of a group of young people who leave the impoverished province for the city in search of better prospects and camaraderie. Like the narrator of her novel the land of green plums, herta muller grew up a german minority in ceausescus romania, which she eventually left to settle in germany. The six chief characters of herztier are all dissidents. Set in romania at the height of nicolae ceausescus reign. Like the narrator of her novel the land of green plums, herta muller grew up a german minority in ceausescus romania, which she eventually left to settle in. She is the author of, among other books, the hunger angel and the land of green plums.
The land of green plums, by herta muller book club discussion public hosted by readings from the heart of europe and american romanian cultural society. The land of green plums by herta muller, paperback. Muller was awarded the nobel prize in literature in 2009. Editions of the land of green plums by herta muller.