Presented by Lisez l'Europe
Our upcoming book club will feature an
Austrian literature novel, and will take place
Thursday November 22 at 6:30 pm at the Goethe-Institut Montreal.
The book chosen for this session is "
Two Gentlemen on the beach", by Michael Köhlmeier. The discussion will be held in French and moderated by
Michaela Leuprecht, translator.
Please confirm your presence
before November 20 at the following address:
lisezleurope@montreal.goethe.org.
About the book:
On the face of it, Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin—two icons of the twentieth century—couldn’t be more different. One is the grand statesman whose resolve led a nation in the struggle against Nazi Germany, the other the world-famous actor and comedian behind The Great Dictator, whose owns roots were in poverty and hardship. But in this moving novel, they are bound by a dark secret: both suffer from depression.
When a chance encounter reveals what they share, an unusual and unlikely friendship ensues. A series of therapeutic meetings across the world, in Germany, England, and America, sees each become the other’s confidant as they talk of their “black dog days.” With the eye of a masterfully subtle narrator, Michael Köhlmeier imagines a startling friendship of unique understanding between this extraordinary pair: a friendship of the twentieth century between art and politics, humor and seriousness, but which at heart remains an understanding between two men—the poor tramp and the grand statesman—who bring together the history of the century. (
press.uchicago.edu)
About the author:
Michael Köhlmeier was born in 1949. He divides his time between Hohenems in Vorarlberg and Vienna, Austria. (
press.uchicago.edu)
The book can be obtained (in French) at the following bookstores:
Librairie Gallimard: (
10% discount for Lisez l’Europe members)
librairie@gallimardmontreal.com
514 499-2012
Librairie Olivieri:
service@librairieolivieri.com
514 739-3639
Librairie du Square au Carré St-Louis:
librairiedusquare@librairiedusquare.com
514 845-7617
Librairie du Square - Outremont:
outremont@librairiedusquare.com
514 303-0612
You can find the ebook at
chapters.indigo.ca.
French copies are also available through the
Grande Bibliothèque and the
Montreal public library system.
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