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Speak, Silence

In Search of W. G. Sebald
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( 187 ratings, 38 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Speak, Silence by Carole Angier is a revealing exploration of the life and literary journey of renowned author W.G. Sebald. The biography delves into the complex weave of his narratives, examining how he masterfully blended fact and fiction. Carole Angier unveils Sebald's influences, his unique storytelling techniques, and his continuing impact on literature.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2599
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are fascinated by the depths of human experience and the mysteries of a reclusive writer who reshaped the literary world. It offers a captivating exploration of identity, silence, and the power of storytelling, delving into the life and work of an influential author with sensitivity and insight.

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Speak, Silence

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A SPECTATOR, NEW STATESMAN AND THE TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR

‘The best biography I have read in years’ Philippe Sands

‘Spectacular’ Observer

‘A remarkable portrait’ Guardian

W. G. Sebald was one of the most extraordinary and influential writers of the twentieth century. Through books including The Emigrants, Austerlitz and The Rings of Saturn, he pursued an original literary vision that combined fiction, history, autobiography and photography and addressed some of the most profound themes of contemporary literature: the burden of the Holocaust, memory, loss and exile.

The first biography to explore his life and work, Speak, Silence pursues the true Sebald through the memories of those who knew him and through the work he left behind. This quest takes Carole Angier from Sebald’s birth as a second-generation German at the end of the Second World War, through his rejection of the poisoned inheritance of the Third Reich, to his emigration to England, exploring the choice of isolation and exile that drove his work. It digs deep into a creative mind on the edge, finding profound empathy and paradoxical ruthlessness, saving humour, and an elusive mix of fact and fiction in his life as well as work. The result is a unique, ferociously original portrait.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

This book is acclaimed for its meticulously researched and detailed portrayal of W.G. Sebald, offering a deep insight into the enigmatic mind of the writer. Carole Angier is praised for her ability to balance admiration with critical analysis, providing an engaging and comprehensive examination. Her work is noted for enhancing Sebald's complex narrative through an empathetic and respectful biographical lens.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781526634818

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 July 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 44.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 500g

Pages: 640

About the Author

Carole Angier is the author of Jean Rhys: Life & Work, which won the Writer’s Guild Award for Non-Fiction and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Prize, and The Double Bond: Primo Levi, A Biography, following the publication of which she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. She taught academic and creative writing for many years and has edited several books of refugee writing. She lives in Oxfordshire.

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