Overview
Thrown into a deep identity crisis by Bismarck's victories against the French in 1870, Alsace's divided loyalties have affected the nature of Europe itself. In this authoritative new discussion, Iain Bamforth reports from 15 years of travel, taking him from Berlin, when the wall fell in 1989, to Strasburg—the heart of aboriginal Europe. With his ear attuned to the complexities of culture and politics, Bamforth attempts to discover Europe through extra-diplomatic channels, offering essays on writers and thinkers who have done much to define the small archipelago on the edge of Asia. Classic writers such as Kleist, Kafka, and WG Sebald, as well as more offbeat characters like Alsatian humorist Tomi Ungerer, are included.Reviews
"Bamforth's language works hard with the eye and the ear to the degree that it mirrors patterns of synapse development, in which particular and even disparate stimuli trigger fresh and complex observations. As a result, such work is rich in perceptual acquaintance, making it not only intelligent but also extremely sensual. To read him makes the patterns of our minds richer too - as when we read Gerard Manley Hopkins or Wallace Stevens. The fact that these poems are readily accessible and inevitable is a small miracle of composition." —The Guardian on A Place in the WorldAuthor Biography
Iain Bamforth is a doctor, scientific translator, and a contributor to PN Review, Times Literary Supplement and New York Times Book Review. He received a Scottish Arts Council Book Award in 1992 for his collection of poems, Sons and Pioneers. He is the author of The Body in the Library.
