Homecoming: A Novel

by Bernhard Schlink Narrated by Paul Michael

Overview

The first novel by Bernhard Schlink since his international best seller The Reader, Homecoming is the story of one man's odyssey and another man's pursuit.

A child of World War II, Peter Debauer grew up with his mother and scant memories of his father, a victim of war. Now an adult, Peter embarks upon a search for the truth surrounding his mother's unwavering--but shaky--history and the possibility of finding his missing father after all these years. The search takes him across Europe, to the United States, and back: finding witnesses, falling in and out of love, chasing fragments of a story and a person who may or may not exist. Within a maze of reinvented identities, Peter pieces together a portrait of a man who uses words as one might use a change of clothing, as he assumes a new guise in any given situation simply to stay alive.

The chase leads Peter to New York City, where he hopes to find the real person behind the disguises. Operating under an assumed identity of his own, Peter unravels the secrets surrounding Columbia University's celebrated political science professor and best-selling author John de Baur, who is known for his incendiary philosophy and the charismatic rapport he has with his students. Terrifying mind games challenge Peter's ability to bring to light the truth surrounding his family history while still holding on to the love of a woman who promises a new life, free of lies and deceit.

Homecoming is a story of fathers and sons, men and women, war and peace. It reveals the humanity that survives the trauma of war and the ongoing possibility for redemption.

Editorial Reviews

JUN/ JUL 08 - AudioFile

In his quest to discover his family’s history, protagonist Peter Debauer weaves a brilliant Proustian memoir evoking the small details of smells, taste, colors, and sounds of his last summer visit with his grandparents. Peter discovers a fragmented novel whose pseudonymous author seems familiar with aspects of Peter’s own life in Germany after WWII, as well as the identity of his father. As secrets are revealed, moral issues relating to WWII come to the fore—a theme reminiscent of Schlink’s earlier bestseller, THE READER. Paul Michael's subtle German accent and softened tones when speaking as a female lend the story credibility. Heim's graceful translation and dexterous use of English idioms keep characters and events clear as the novel spans the period from WWII to the fall of the Berlin Wall. A.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

JUN/JUL 08 - AudioFile

In his quest to discover his family’s history, protagonist Peter Debauer weaves a brilliant Proustian memoir evoking the small details of smells, taste, colors, and sounds of his last summer visit with his grandparents. Peter discovers a fragmented novel whose pseudonymous author seems familiar with aspects of Peter’s own life in Germany after WWII, as well as the identity of his father. As secrets are revealed, moral issues relating to WWII come to the fore—a theme reminiscent of Schlink’s earlier bestseller, THE READER. Paul Michael's subtle German accent and softened tones when speaking as a female lend the story credibility. Heim's graceful translation and dexterous use of English idioms keep characters and events clear as the novel spans the period from WWII to the fall of the Berlin Wall. A.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169179927
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	01/08/2008
Edition description:	Unabridged

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