The Voice Imitator by Thomas Bernhard

The Voice Imitator by Thomas Bernhard

The Austrian playwright, novelist, and poet Thomas Bernhard (1931-89) is acknowledged as among the major writers of our times. At once pessimistic and exhilarating, Bernhard's work depicts the corruption of the modern world, the dynamics of totalitarianism, and the interplay of reality and appearance.

In this stunning translation of The Voice Imitator, Bernhard gives us one of his most darkly comic works. A series of parable-like anecdotes—some drawn from newspaper reports, some from conversation, some from hearsay—this satire is both subtle and acerbic. What initially appear to be quaint little stories inevitably indict the sterility and callousness of modern life, not just in urban centers but everywhere. Bernhard presents an ordinary world careening into absurdity and disaster. Politicians, professionals, tourists, civil servants—the usual victims of Bernhard's inspired misanthropy—succumb one after another to madness, mishap, or suicide. The shortest piece, titled "Mail," illustrates the anonymity and alienation that have become standard in contemporary society: "For years after our mother's death, the Post Office still delivered letters that were addressed to her. The Post Office had taken no notice of her death."

In his disarming, sometimes hilarious style, Bernhard delivers a lethal punch with every anecdote. George Steiner has connected Bernhard to "the great constellation of Kafka, Musil, and Broch," and John Updike has compared him to Grass, Handke, and Weiss. The Voice Imitator reminds us that Thomas Bernhard remains the most caustic satirist of our age.

Thomas Bernhardt studied Business Administration, Law, and International Relations after being born in Hohenems, Austria, in 1972. He has worked in industry in Europe, North America, and Asia since 1996, holding several General Management positions. The author graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science's Executive Master of Science degree in International Strategy and Diplomacy in 2018.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780226044026
ISBN 10	0226044025
Title	The Voice Imitator
Author	Thomas Bernhard
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	The University of Chicago Press
Year published	1998-10-15
Number of pages	114
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.