Peeling away the onion skins of memory, Grass re-discovers his own truth with fascinating results, not only his original musings on memory, choice and happenstance but his master story-teller's account of his life - boy soldier, miner, black marketeer, artist, poet, even musician - before finding an outlet for his experiences in novel-writing. And his move from incredulity ('Germans don't do this') to 'gnawing shame' over the Holocaust rings true. Impressive and unexpectedly (for me) very enjoyable.
(Annabel Bedini - bwl 46 June 2008 ) |
