![]() ![]() Heinrich Boll took a very unique approach to express Walter’s day and transformation everything is quantified via bread, the unit of measure to illustrate comfort, fulfillment, desire, love, care, generosity, greed, and forgiveness. Pain, often hunger pangs, and suffering leave such a physical imprint that it propelled Walter’s actions for seven years before being awaken in this one-day novel. It is my rare glimpse on the German citizens where they remember the dark days – black markets, ration coupons, air raid shelters, and post-war effects of habitual hoarding, limited housing, and grenade scars on a colleague’s arms – and death, those he remembered and appreciated most. Published in 1955, this novel examines a time in Germany that is healing from war traumas. Simple, right? By the end of the day, he’s determined that he hates his job, money isn’t everything, his girlfriend and her family are heartless scums, and he is madly in love with the girl from the train station and is marrying her, Hedwig Muller. ![]() On his mind are his to-do list: fix washing machines for the clients that he couldn’t get to yesterday, one more who is crying on the phone to this landlady as he lies in bed, dinner with his girlfriend at 6, but before any of this, need to do a favor for his dad and pickup his boss’ daughter from the train station. ![]()
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