The Book of Words (New Directions Paperbook)

The Book of Words is a powerful and thought-provoking novella that delves into the inner life of a young girl growing up in a totalitarian regime.

Through her eyes, Jenny Erpenbeck captures the eerie atmosphere of a country where gunshots are mistaken for blown tires, innocent citizens are dragged off buses, and tortured and disappeared friends and family return to visit her from the dead.

The story is set in an unnamed tropical capital, possibly Argentina, and is told through the eyes of a young narrator who parrots what she hears from her parents, both highly placed officials in the government.

As the girl begins to notice how things are changing around her, she realizes that half-truths, hearsay, and speculation form the slippery foundation of her knowledge.

This gripping novella is a must-read for anyone interested in the dangers of totalitarianism and the power of the human spirit to survive even the darkest of regimes.