Dying in the search for happiness

Author: Siebel Berg
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-11-01
Features: New Trend Translation · First Novel. The novel is composed of fragments, with innovative writing techniques; the female author constantly shifts the perspective of observation, alternating between first-person narration and third-person description; Berg's language is concise yet rich in meaning, filled with dark humor. Since its first publication in 1997, the book has received widespread acclaim and has been reprinted over ten times, with a total print run of 200,000 copies. It has also been adapted into a play and performed on stage.
This is a novel about a group of young people living in a German metropolis. The protagonists are all around 30 years old, belonging to the "disastrous generation" who grew up materially wealthy but spiritually empty after Germany's economic boom. They have decent jobs and good housing, free from concerns about food and clothing, yet they are not happy. They lack ideals, hope, and faith, feeling bored and lonely; they are confused and helpless in the face of the ever-changing, dazzling world. Each of them has a moving story, and their relationships as acquaintances, friends, and in marriage tie them together, making it impossible to break free or untangle.
To change their situation and escape their hollow lives, some quit their jobs and travel abroad in search of happiness. However, they not only fail to find happiness but also die in foreign lands.