520. Homo Faber

Homo Faber
Max Frisch
1957
Around 230 pages

I was disappointed to discover that there are only two Frisch novels on the List. It really feels like he is flourishing as a writer, and this was a marked improvement from I'm Not Stiller. Maybe this is him hitting his peak. Mother knows best (and yes, you should be concerned that I'm now referring to the List as Mother).

Walter Faber is a successful engineer traveling through Europe and America. He begins an affair with an art student Hanna, and she becomes sick with child. Faber gets a job in Baghdad, and they agree to split up and abort the pregnancy. Some Oedipal adventures ensue.

This story heavily hinges on coincidence, but that seems to fit the themes of Greek tragedies pretty well. I really admired Frisch's writing style, which was contemplative but kept the story moving. Despite the questionable actions of the characters, he didn't moralize. 

Worth a read, and I look forward to looking into more of his work, when I am finally free from this blog's mortal coil.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Adapted into a movie in 1991.

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