Published by Phoenix House, London; 1997. 216pp. First UK edition, first impression. Condition: Condition: Fine/Fine.
Bound in original blue/green cloth boards with title in gilt to the spine. The binding is square and tight and in excellent condition, with just a touch of bumping to the spine ends and corners. Inside, the pages are clean and bright and free from blemishes and damage, appearing practically unread.
The book is housed in its original first issue dust jacket, which is in equally smart condition. The jacket is vibrant and bright with no signs of damage and just a little bumping to the corners and spine ends.
In all, this is a lovely example of this modern first edition by Bernhard Schlink, translated to English by Carol Brown Janeway. Powerful, haunting and unforgettable. This novel is both an extraordinary story of memory and desire, and a profound exploration of modern Germany's relationship with its past. This mesmerising novel is a tale of love and secrets, horror and compassion, unfolding against the haunted landscape of post-war Germany. When Michael falls ill on his way home from school, he is helped by Hanna, a woman in her thirties. He continues to visit her and they become lovers, before she suddenly and inexplicably, disappears. Years later, he encounters her again, while he is a law student and she is on trial for a hideous crime. As he watches the trial and sees her refuse to defend herself, he gradually realises that she may be guarding a secret buries deeper than her crime. The novel was translated to the big screen in 2008, directed by Stephen Daldry and starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes.