ABOUT
THE BOOK

Translated from the German by Krishna Winston

2020 Longlist

“On the day of the Great Fall he left nothing, nothing at all behind.”

The latest work by Peter Handke chronicles a day in the life of an ageing actor as he makes his way on foot from the outskirts of a great metropolis into its centre. He is scheduled to receive a prestigious award that evening from the country’s president, and the following day he is supposed to start shooting for a film, perhaps his last, in which he plays a man who runs amok.

About the Author

Peter Handke was born in Austria in 1942. His works include the novels Short Letter, Long Farewell; The Left-Handed Woman; Repetition; Absence; and the play Till Day You Do Part; Or A Question of Light, also published by Seagull Books.

Librarian’s Comments

“The Great Fall” tells about a single day in the life of an ageing actor who is walking into a big city observing the world around him. The novel is reminiscence of the young Peter Handke, who is now one of the greatest Austrian writers still living. It is an outstanding example of Handke’s unique narrative style, which is defined by a strong critical voice but yet deeply introspective. Büchereien Wien, Austria