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A Small Circus

By Hans Fallada
Penguin Classics
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.54 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 424 ratings, 49 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
A Small Circus by Hans Fallada is set in the late 1920s in a small German town. It explores the chaotic world of local politics and media through the lens of a bitter conflict between a group of farmers and the local government. With vibrant characters, the novel delves into themes of power, manipulation, and societal change during a tumultuous period in history.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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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 drawn to dramatic tales of societal upheaval in early 20th century Germany, filled with an engaging cast of characters facing economic turmoil. Its rich narrative and compelling social commentary provide a vivid portrayal of human resilience and the impact of political policies on everyday lives. Fans of historical fiction that explores the nuances of power and community would find this an intriguing read.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

It is summer, 1929, and in a small German town a storm is brewing. The shabby reporter Tredup leads a precarious existence working for the "Pomeranian Chronicle" - until he takes some photographs that offer the chance to make a fortune. In Kruger's bar, the farmers are plotting their revenge on greedy officials.

Itis summer, 1929, and in a small German town a storm is brewing.The Nazis are growing stronger and the Communists fight them in the streets. Workers plot against their bosses in bars.Journalists become embroiled in blackmail and corruption.

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 powerful 1931 portrayal of a German town on the brink of chaos, from bestselling author Hans Fallada.

It is summer, 1929, and in a small German town a storm is brewing. The shabby reporter Tredup leads a precarious existence working for the Pomeranian Chronicle—until he takes some photographs that offer the chance to make a fortune. In Kruger's bar, the farmers are plotting their revenge on greedy officials. A mysterious travelling salesman from Berlin, Henning, is stirring up trouble—but no one knows why. Meanwhile, the Nazis grow stronger and the Communists fight them in the streets. At the centre of it all, the Mayor, 'Fatty' Gareis, seeks the easy life even as events spiral beyond his control.

As tensions erupt between workers and bosses, town and country, Left and Right, alliances are broken, bribes are taken and plots are hatched, until the tension spills over into violence.

A Small Circus captures the chaotic essence of a society on the verge of transformation and the complexities within.

Series: Penguin Modern Classics

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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?

Critics have lauded A Small Circus for its vivid originality and genuine portrayal of small-town Germany during the Weimar Republic. The novel is praised for its authentic character creation and the vivid depiction of societal struggles, capturing the essence of an imploding era. The translation by Michael Hofmann is highlighted for its ability to convey the novel’s coarse, humorous, and tragic qualities, bringing Fallada’s narrative to life with remarkable realism and immediacy.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141196565

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 28 March 2013

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 420g

Pages: 608

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction Fiction in Translation General Fiction Hans Fallada Literary Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction Series: Penguin Modern Classics

About the Author

Hans Fallada was one of the best-known German writers of the twentieth century. Born on 21 July 1893 in Greifswald as Rudolf Wilhelm Adolf Ditzen, he took his pen name from a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. His most famous works include the novels Little Man, What Now?, The Drinker and the bestselling Alone in Berlin. Fallada died from an overdose of morphine on 5 February 1947 in Berlin. Michael Hofmann is the author of several books of poems and a book of criticism, Behind the Lines, and the translator of many modern and contemporary authors.

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