Little Man, What Now?
Hans Fallada
Some books are character-driven narratives, where plot takes a backseat to development. There are also works that concentrate on intricate plots, whose characters are more of the stock variety but which nonetheless captivate the reader. Others are philosophical tales or satires, meant to provoke the intellect. Little Man, What Now? doesn't fall into any of these categories, but somehow it managed to retain my interest. This book is more like a moving portrait, a series of snapshots of life in Weimar Germany, focusing on the lives of a newly married couple. The characters themselves aren't horribly interesting (Bunny can test the nerves at times and Pinneberg is a wimp), but their circumstances are captivating.
Fallada published this book in 1933, just before the Nazis came to power. The book, however, is neither propaganda nor a slamming accusation. It is blunt realism at its strongest. Pinneberg's political wavering captures the essence of the era- he realizes that most down-and-out white-collar workers like himself have turned to the Nazi party, but he feels drawn to communism at the same time. What is perhaps most interesting about the novel is that the reader knows what is coming, but it isn't at all evident in the book. The plot focuses on the economics of Weimar Germany and their dire effects, making the mechanics of Nazification in Germany much more understandable. The novel is, however, without an axe to grind.
Fallada's book isn't particularly captivating on its own; it deserves careful consideration and contextualization but can yield excellent results. It isn't too terribly time-consuming, and it provides perhaps unique insight into the times. Little Man, What Now? may not be intricate or particularly well-constructed, but it is nonetheless valuable for those interested in Weimar Germany and its implications for the rise of Nazism.
Grade: B+
Hans Fallada
Some books are character-driven narratives, where plot takes a backseat to development. There are also works that concentrate on intricate plots, whose characters are more of the stock variety but which nonetheless captivate the reader. Others are philosophical tales or satires, meant to provoke the intellect. Little Man, What Now? doesn't fall into any of these categories, but somehow it managed to retain my interest. This book is more like a moving portrait, a series of snapshots of life in Weimar Germany, focusing on the lives of a newly married couple. The characters themselves aren't horribly interesting (Bunny can test the nerves at times and Pinneberg is a wimp), but their circumstances are captivating.
Fallada published this book in 1933, just before the Nazis came to power. The book, however, is neither propaganda nor a slamming accusation. It is blunt realism at its strongest. Pinneberg's political wavering captures the essence of the era- he realizes that most down-and-out white-collar workers like himself have turned to the Nazi party, but he feels drawn to communism at the same time. What is perhaps most interesting about the novel is that the reader knows what is coming, but it isn't at all evident in the book. The plot focuses on the economics of Weimar Germany and their dire effects, making the mechanics of Nazification in Germany much more understandable. The novel is, however, without an axe to grind.
Fallada's book isn't particularly captivating on its own; it deserves careful consideration and contextualization but can yield excellent results. It isn't too terribly time-consuming, and it provides perhaps unique insight into the times. Little Man, What Now? may not be intricate or particularly well-constructed, but it is nonetheless valuable for those interested in Weimar Germany and its implications for the rise of Nazism.
Grade: B+
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