Sanderling, by acclaimed author and translator Anne Weber, is an exceptional book about coming to terms with German history. At the same time, the book extends beyond an exploration of the author’s own family history into far-reaching reflections on what it means to be German, in all its complicated historical and contemporary meanings. At times Sanderling’s intellectual reach and capacity for self-reflection inspires awe, and even reverence, in Weber. Although Weber has lived in Paris since the 1980s, German history continues to cast its shadow over her. Sanderling is a rare book: meticulous, honest, unpretentious, interrogative, and utterly compelling.

Source: Irish Examiner December 27, 2025 01:22 UTC