The Sleep of the Righteous - by Wolfgang Hilbig (Paperback)

The Sleep of the Righteous is a thought-provoking and deeply moving novel that delves into the psyches of both East and West Germany, revealing a powerful account of the nation's trajectory from 1945 to 1989.

Through the eyes of a young man growing up in a war-scarred industrial town and later working as a factory stoker, Hilbig creates a cipher that is both himself and many of his fellow Germans.

The novel explores themes of guilt, pulp noir, fanatical police, and impossible romances, all set against the backdrop of a divided nation struggling to come to terms with its past.

With evocative prose that recalls the likes of Tarkovsky's Stalker and The Lives of Others, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in German literature and the complexities of the human experience.