It skirts various eras in Germany’s past - years of peace and years of war. What sounds like a complex, complicated story is a surprisingly easy read. Read more: Bestsellers that almost didn’t make it to the bookstores In her thoughts and letters, Olga stays close to Herbert throughout her life. She - a school teacher who combats the prejudices of her time - and Herbert, a local aristocrat, fall in love against all the odds, which include Herbert’s many voyages to Africa, America and Russia, hot on the heels of the era’s dreams of power, glory and greatness. Olga, the protagonist of the new book, is an orphan raised by her grandmother at the start of the 20th century in a Silesian village. In a way, Schlink’s new novel, “Olga,” is reminiscent of “The Reader” in that it echoes the constellation of a younger man and an older woman and their approach to German history and the past. Winslet won a Golden Globe and an Oscar for her portrayal of the former concentration camp guard Hanna Schmitz. In 2008, the novel was adapted to film, a huge success starring Kate Winslet and David Kross. Oprah Winfrey featured the novel in her book club. “The Reader” was translated into almost 50 languages and made it to the very top of the New York Times bestseller list - a first for a novel by a German writer. Rarely had a German author been as successful on the international stage. German author Bernhard Schlink is best known for his international bestseller “The Reader.” His new novel, “Olga,” touches on Germany’s history throughout the 20th century.Bernhard Schlink’s novel “The Reader” conquered the literary world 22 years ago.

Olga by Bernhard Schlink