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Gilgi, One of Us
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
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Check link for latest rating. ( 1,338 ratings, 167 reviews)
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Gilgi, One of Us
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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?
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
A brilliant feminist novel from Weimar Germany, from the author of Child of All Nations.
Gilgi, One of Us introduces us to Gilgi, a young woman who knows where she's going in life—she's ambitious, determined, and fearless. She's not even derailed when her parents drop a massive bombshell on her twenty-first birthday.
But then she meets the charming but aimless Martin, and for the first time, Gilgi finds herself blown bewilderingly and dangerously off-course.
Set in Cologne against the backdrop of rising Nazism, Irmgard Keun's astonishing debut electrified Weimar Germany. With its frank exploration of sex, abortion, work, and love, it feels as fresh today as when it first appeared.
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?
Gilgi, One of Us is lauded as a bittersweet and captivating novel, vividly capturing the decadence and despair of late Weimar Germany. The narrative feels strikingly contemporary, resonating with the experiences of young women both in the past and present, including the #MeToo generation. The strength of Keun’s work is found in her raw, witty, and resonant depiction of feminine voices, brought to English readers through an expert translation.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780241391808
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 05 December 2019
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Penguin Classics
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 11.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 145g
Pages: 192
About the Author
Irmgard Keun was born in Berlin in 1905 and found instant success with her novels Gilgi (1931) and The Artificial Silk Girl (1932). Everything changed in 1933 when the Nazis blacklisted her and destroyed her books; in response, she attempted to sue the Gestapo for loss of earnings. She left Germany (and her husband) in 1936 and lived in exile in Europe, where she wrote Child of All Nations (1936) and After Midnight (1937). She sneaked back into Germany in 1940 under a false name and spent the rest of the war in Cologne. In later years, she wrote for magazines and radio and raised a daughter alone. She died in 1982.
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