“A fool is like a mirror that reflects the true nature of those around him.” Chapter 1: The Arrival of Gaston The story begins with the unexpected arrival […]
German literature
Billiards at Half-Past Nine
“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” Chapter 1: The Faehmel Family Reunion The novel opens on September 6, 1958, as Robert Faehmel, a reserved architect, […]
German literature
The Tin Drum
“Granted: I am an inmate of a mental hospital; my keeper is watching me, he never lets me out of his sight; there’s a peephole in the door, […]
French literature
Zazie in the Metro
“Doukipudonktan?” — Raymond Queneau, Zazie in the Metro Chapter 1: Arrival in Paris Zazie, a precocious and foul-mouthed young girl, arrives in Paris to stay with her uncle […]
French literature
Hiroshima Mon Amour
“You saw nothing in Hiroshima. Nothing.” Hiroshima Mon Amour is a haunting exploration of memory, love, and trauma, structured as a dialogue between a French actress and a […]