FOUND IN TRANSLATION / Book Group Meeting -- Willem Frederik Hermans' THE DARKROOM OF DAMOCLES
Tuesday, May 25 2010 at 7:00 PM
Come join us for a spirited discussion of this bizarre
detective story set in wartime Holland.
With Holland
occupied by the Nazis, Henri Osewoudt is recruited as a resistance fighter by a
mysterious man named Dorbeck. But as Osewoudt is pulled deeper and deeper into
murder, mystery, and espionage, it becomes less and less clear who he's
serving, and why. And then, as World War II draws to a close and the Nazis are
driven out, Osewoudt is suddenly called to justice for his actions during the
war. Published in 1958, The Darkroom of
Damocles was one of the first books to openly deal with Nazi collaboration
and Holocaust guilt -- huge factors in Dutch society then and now. We'll talk
about how Willem Frederik Hermans exploited the conventions of detective
fiction to dramatize the fog of war, and we'll dig deep into the complex
morality of an exceedingly twisted and strange plot.
Join us on the fourth Tuesday of every month for spirited
conversation about some of the newest writing hitting the U.S. from all
over the globe. No foreign language knowledge necessary and no continental
savvy required (but will be appreciated!) -- just bring your desire to
read some excellent new books, hand-selected for you by the Booksmith's
knowledgeable booksellers. You'll also meet some great new people and chat with
them about the best new fiction from around the world.
