Overview

Helene Wesendahl wakes from a post-aneurysm coma paralysed, speechless and devoid of memory. With each re-learned movement, remembered word and returned fragment of forgotten biography, a life comes to light that she scarcely recognises, confronting her with a strange woman who was once herself. Through the awakening heroine's eyes, we observe her own body (which seems to lead a life of its own as it laboriously undergoes rehabilitation), her fellow-patients, nurses and doctors, the reactions of a complicated family, and the sacrificial commitment of her husband. Helene's crisis deepens with the gradual realisation that, owing to a passion for a mysterious woman, she was intending to leave this man who now cares so much ... In 2009 You're not dying was the triumphant winner of the German Book Prize, pipping to the post the recent Nobel Prize-winner Hertha Muller, who was also shortlisted. Schmidt's writing career is littered with multiple prestigious prizes for both her poetry and prose.

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9781910981139

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A great novel about illness, language and identity [...] Kathrin Schmidt is one of the most important authors of her generation in Germany. Literaturen A haunting book. [...] Kathrin Schmidt is back. We can rejoice! Vladimir Balzer, Die Welt An outstanding, true novel Meike Fessmann, Suddeutsche Zeitung a stylistically dazzling book Alexander Riebel, Die Tagespost ...gets under your skin Helmut Boettiger, Die Zeit Online Once again, Kathrin Schmidt proves to be a narrative virtuoso Der Spiegel Online Breathtakingly accurate, Kathrin Schmidt paints the tedious path back into human existence. Neue Zurcher Zeitung A compelling novel Michael Opitz, Deutschland Radio

Author Information

Poet and novelist Kathrin Schmidt was born in 1958 in Gotha in the former German Democratic Republic and lives in Berlin. She trained as a psychologist and later worked as an editor and a social scientist before writing full time. Her first poetry pamphlet was published in the famous 'Poesiealbum' series by the GDR publisher, Verlag Neues Leben, of which Christa Wolf had in earlier years been editor-in-chief. Two further collections were published in the GDR. In the process of Germany's reunification Schmidt represented the anti-reunification United Left, the most left-wing of several newly-formed groups in the GDR, at Berlin city's round-table discussions. Schmidt's to-date eight poetry volumes and five novels have garnered a host of residencies and awards, notably the Leonce-und-Lena Poetry Prize in 1993, and in 2009 she was awarded both the annual prize of the reputed Südwestfunk Radio Best List and the German Book Prize for You're not dying (Du Stirbst Nicht), beating a shortlist that included Nobel Prize winner Herta Müller. The novel has since been translated into thirteen languages. This is Christina Les's first venture into novel translation. Having studied French and German at Yarm School and as an undergraduate at Nottingham University, she then specialised in translation, pursuing a Masters degree followed by a Doctorate.

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