Der Spatz in der Hand: Fabeln und Verse

Title

en_US Der Spatz in der Hand: Fabeln und Verse

Description

en_US This is a hardbound book (hard cover)

en_US This book has a dust jacket (book cover)

en_US Language note: German

en_US Wolf Dietrich Schnurre

Creator

en_US Schnurre, Wolfdietrich See all items with this value

Date

2016-01-25T19:54:34Z

en_US 1999-05

en_US 1971

Date Available

2016-01-25T19:54:34Z

Date Issued

en_US 1971

Abstract

en_US This 232-page little book is organized into seven chapters offering ironic categories like The Dowry of Innocence, Life's Slaps on the Cheek, The Eternal Values, and God's Difficult Position. I will offer comments here from Andreas Gommermann and save some examples of my reading for my copy of the second edition in 1973. Schnurre's fables are short, pointed, aphoristic, satirical. The dust-jacket speaks aptly of digs at culture and politics. Yes, this book is ein vergnüglicher Spiegel für selbstkritische Zeitgenossen. Is the Spatz in der Hand really, asks the cover caricature, a bird in the brain? Marriage is a particular target of Schnurre's satire. Typical political satire comes in a fable like A Contribution to Learning about Colors (156). The squirrel is called before a tribunal to account for its color. When he challenges the judge fox for having the same color, the fox responds that he has long since distanced himself from his fur. The point of that story might best be expressed Day before yesterday brown, yesterday red, and today black. (And tomorrow green?) Parallel Tastes (158) shows that the ruling party and the opposition are the same under the surface: a flea bites one from each party, shakes his head, and declares that he cannot find a difference. Triftiger Pazifismus (152) criticizes the mendacity of government. The hare is brought to court before the judge fox for not responding when he is called into military service. You refuse to defend your country! Against whom? Those who threaten the peace. How could I dare to raise my hand against you?! Schnurre employs a delightful range of characters from Greek and Christian mythology, various professions, unusual animals, daily objects, and concepts. Andreas points out aptly that an index of individual fables is missing; it would be very helpful. The illustrations are Schnurre's own caricatures: always fun, often helpful for getting the direction from which the criticism comes.

Identifier

en_US 6441 (Access ID)

uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10504/81765

Language

en_US ger

Publisher

en_US Langen-Müller Verlag

en_US Munich

Subject

en_US PT2638.N67 S63 1971 See all items with this value

en_US Wolf Dietrich Schnurre See all items with this value

en_US Title Page Scanned See all items with this value

Type

en_US Book, Whole