Writings or literature are composed of novels, plays, and poems that reflect the culture and beliefs of humans. - Life's Rehearsal Space - Updates from Saša Stanišić
This book likely has the most peculiar title of the season, but it's also the longest. "If the widow is to be addressed, place the pitcher with the spout facing forward" is the latest work by Saša Stanišić.
Hiding beneath this extravagant title is a collection of twelve stories. Some of these stories are connected and feature characters who appear in different scenarios. The common theme throughout all these tales is the desire for a new life, the futile yet powerful human dream of having the freedom to shape one's existence as desired.
Dreams and Magic
Saša Stanišić, recipient of the German Book Prize 2019, took a break from his significant success with the novel "Herkunft" and focused on children's books for a period. The fanciful elements from the realm of kids' stories have been seamlessly integrated into this adult work. Throughout these narratives, you'll find scenes of dreaming, sorcery, and even sci-fi intertwined with remarkably real-life elements, such as those found in migrant biographies. The author can be found in various forms across these stories: as a teenage migrant in Heidelberg fantasizing about a different life, as a Helgoland ferryman hunting his idol Heinrich Heine, or in a utopia as a coach of a soccer team.
The first story, "New Home," presents the context. Four teenagers, including a 16-year-old Saša, spend a sizzling summer day in 1994 at a vineyard. They all come from immigrant families. For instance, Fatih's mother cleaned the houses in the West City, as well as managed the Turkish Cultural Center. His father had studied something with books in Turkey, so he drove a truck there. Wouldn't it be fantastic, Fatih thinks, if there were a probation room for life? For a modest 130 marks, you could try out ten minutes of the future. If you like it, you can check in: "This way, almost everyone, almost everyone, could experience a lovely future. Because everyone, almost everyone, deserves ten minutes of a beautiful future." Even migrant kids.
The concept of a probation room for life is further explored throughout the stories. In one instance, we're introduced to Dilek, a Turk who serves as a maid in the home of a pretentious Viennese woman. While polishing the heating with a goat hair brush, she dreams of returning to Turkey, where she once cared for goats. The chance to follow her sophisticated aunt into a more privileged life in the big city almost slipped through her fingers. But as she cleans, time miraculously comes to a standstill, and she's presented with unforeseen opportunities.
Grotesque Language Art
In the story named after the title, the widow Gisel yearns for years of solitude from a new acquaintance. As she pours at her husband's grave, she hopes to make a statement with her pitcher: "If the widow is to be addressed, place the pitcher with the spout facing forward." But where was there still "forward"? Towards the grave or away from it? This musing initiates a chain of thought experiments, amusing and melancholy, incisive and imaginative, all at once.
This short story collection showcases Stanišić's extraordinary linguistic prowess. Few authors possess such a knack for word creation and poetic proclivity, such multifaceted and multivalent writing. However, the reader must occasionally be cautious not to get lost in the sparkling language labyrinth.
Saša Stanišić: If the Widow is to be addressed, she places the coffee pot with the infuser forward on the grave, Luchterhand, Munich, 256 pages, €24.00, ISBN 978-3-630-87768-6
Penguin
Read also:
- Sasa Stanisic, who received the German Book Prize in 2019 for his novel "Herkunft", has integrated fanciful elements from children's stories into his latest work, titled "If the widow is to be addressed, place the pitcher with the spout facing forward".
- In a Heidelberg rehearsal room, Stanisic appears as a teenage migrant dreaming of a different life, showcasing his versatility as an author in this adult fiction.
- The future is a recurring theme in the collection of twelve stories, with references to the concept of a 'probation room for life', offering a glimpse into the characters' desires and aspirations.
- In a Berlin review, critics praised Stanisic's linguistic prowess and his ability to create captivating narratives that seamlessly blend reality with the fantastical.
- As Stanisic prepares for his upcoming literary events in Turkey, fans eagerly await his next offering, confident in his ability to craft thought-provoking and captivating fiction.
