Understanding W. G. Sebald (Understanding Modern European and Latin American Literature)

This volume provides a dissection of W.G. Sebald's fiction and his acclaim. A German writer who taught in England for 30 years, he published four novels, first in German and then in English. His work gained even greater acclaim after his death in 2001, just months after the publication of his title "Austerlitz". This companion to his fiction investigates the secret behind his universal appeal and explores themes, issues, and influences that dominate the writer's oeuvre. It suggests that Sebald essentially had two literary careers - as his works appeared in German-speaking Europe and then in the English speaking world. It outlines the writer's reception in his homeland and in translation. It illuminates the vast knowledge of European literatures that Sebald drew upon in composing his narratives and also sheds light on the interconnections that lurk beneath the surface of the writer's landscapes and memoirs.