Surging stream

Author: (German) Walser (Walser/M.) / Wei Maoping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The novel reflects the darkest and most barbaric period of German history from 1932 to 1945. From the perspective of an ordinary teenager, the protagonist experiences the collapse of his family, the impact of love, and eventually grows into adulthood. The language of the novel is simple and accessible. It is particularly noteworthy that the author was recommended for the Nobel Prize in Literature for several consecutive years. The novel is set in a small town on the shores of Lake Constance in Germany, narrating the protagonist John's experiences from the age of 6 to 18, reflecting the dark and barbaric period of German history from 1932 to 1945. The author was recommended for the Nobel Prize in Literature for several consecutive years.
Lions and tigers roamed the streets, and the family was poor. At a young age, John helped out in his mother's restaurant and transported coal for the villagers, but it still couldn't change the family's financial struggles. The business was dire, and the market was depressed, bringing endless worries and fears to the family. To survive, the virtuous mother had no choice but to join the Nazi Party. The father was a pacifist, always dreaming of unrealistic things. To escape the, he tried to establish a breeding farm, raise silver foxes, and even partnered with friends to produce magnetic therapy devices for treating illnesses. Failure and incompetence made him feel guilty towards his family, and he died young.
As John grew older, he fell in love with Anita, a young performer in the circus. His physical intimacy with the girl made him mature both psychologically and physiologically. During a Nazi raid on the circus, he bravely stood up for the victims, even breaking ties with his friend Adolf. To visit the girl he loved in a distant place, John skipped school and even disregarded his mother's worries. The war intensified, and the small town lost its former tranquility, filled with refugees whose hearts were broken. Forced to give up his dreams of becoming a singer and poet, John enlisted in the army and fought in the flames of war. After a brief period as a prisoner of war, he returned home to reunite with his family, only to find that his brother had died in battle.
With time passing, Anita fell in love with someone else; John finally found his life partner, Lena. The intoxicating love life helped him enter another stage of maturity.