Ferdinand, the Man with the Kind Heart

Ali Smith's novel, "Bombed-out Cologne after the war," is a touching portrait of the human spirit set in a strange place after the war. Ferdinand, a former prisoner of war, drifts around the city, observing life's absurdities and avoiding his fiancée. He gets a job as a cheerful adviser, and his fortunes change. Irmgard Keun's novel is exuberantly funny and touching.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 01 April 2021
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

A great writer, Ali Smith, has recently translated his touching final novel, "Child of All Nations," into English. The novel, set in bombed-out Cologne after the war, is a strange and fascinating place to be. The black market in jam and corsets is thriving, half-destroyed houses offer opportunities for theft, and de-Nazification parties are all the rage. Ferdinand, a daydreamer, former prisoner of war, and wearer of a curious jerkin, drifts around the city, observing life's absurdities and avoiding his fiancée while drinking brandy with his fabulous cousin. When he gets a job as a cheerful adviser to those down on their luck, will Ferdinand's fortunes change too?

Irmgard Keun's exuberantly funny and touching final novel takes the tiny moments of triumph and defeat in one man's life and turns them into a moving portrait of the human spirit. The novel is filled with memorable characters, including Ferdinand's cousin, who is a constant source of humor and support. The writing is vivid and evocative, transporting the reader to the post-war world of Cologne. "Child of All Nations" is a testament to the power of literature to capture the essence of human experience and to remind us of the resilience and humor that can be found even in the darkest of times.

Weight: 142g
Dimension: 197 x 130 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780241441336