Reviews

On the Natural History of Destruction by W.G. Sebald

runforrestrun's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

3.25

solecego's review against another edition

5.0

"That those who have loosed these horrors upon mankind will now in their homes and persons feel the shattering strokes of just retribution" :(

fehla's review against another edition

4.0

It's interesting to see Sebald's literary style applied to a historical essay. In this book, Sebald offers a very sharp analysis on Germany's recent history (and, as in all of his work, on the construction of a national, collective, memory). And it's also very interesting to notice how connected all of his works are, and how, in the end, all of his books are one, in a certain way.

P.S.: Another interesting book on the same subject is Andreas Huyssen's analysis on what he called 'urban palimpsests': http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/414194.Present_Pasts

solaana's review against another edition

Again: downer.

sambailey's review against another edition

4.0

I have no background knowledge on the literature Sebald is discussing, but he remains an amazing essayist.

opl's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

marmarta's review against another edition

5.0

Oh I loved it. It also made me realize that we know very little about post-war Germany, to a large degree because Germany does not want to know much about that time. It's a shocking and thought-provoking book.

denizerkaradag's review against another edition

4.0

Hava Savaşı, Müttefik Devletler'in kolektif tarihten silinen saldırısı ve on yıllarca edebiyatta dahi zuhur edememesi üzerinden işlenen çok etkili bir ders.
Alfred Andersch makalesi de bir yazarı en iyi yine bir yazarın kaleminden okumak gerektiğinin kanıtı sanki.

amalgamemnon's review against another edition

4.0

On the Allied bombings of the Second World War and their lack of impact in the German cultural consciousness. Excellent, concise prose and clear arguments. There could perhaps have been more on the differences across East and West Germany, and the conclusion - which emphasises Nazi culpability in bombings - is a little forced and lacking in nuance. Overall though very interesting. Accompanying three essays on Andersch, Amery and Weiss are also good.

bookhouseboi's review against another edition

funny informative reflective medium-paced