'The Reader' by Bernhard Schlink - Book Review

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink has had many moments in the spotlight -- at first as an acclaimed book in Germany, then with its first release in English, a couple years later its popularity spiked when it was chosen for Oprah's Book Club, and then in 2008 there was a film adaptation that was subsequently nominated for several Academy Awards. I read The Reader in early 2009, in the midst of the movie's popularity. I didn't want to put it down, and I finished it in two days. It is well written and fast paced, although it is packed with introspection and moral questions. It deserves all the attention.

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink is the story of 15-year-old Michael Berg, who has an affair with Hanna, a woman more than twice his age. One day she disappears, and he expects to never see her again. Years later, he runs into her at a trial where she is accused of a Nazi crime. Michael must then wrestle with the implications of their relationship and whether he owes her anything.

When I first started reading The Reader, I thought "reading" was a euphemism for sex. Indeed, the beginning of the novel is highly sexual. "Reading," however, is more significant than a euphemism. In fact, I think Schlink is making a case for the moral value of literature in society not just because reading is important to the characters, but also because Schlink uses the novel as a vehicle for philosophical and moral exploration.

If you hear "philosophical and moral exploration" and think, "boring," you are underestimating Schlink. He was able to write a page turner that is also full of introspection. He will make you think, and also keep you reading. That, I believe, is why The Reader has been so amazingly successful.

There is a lot one could say about the questions Schlink raises and whether you agree with him, but I will leave them for your book club to discuss. Don't have a book club? You should read The Reader with a friend. This is one book you'll want to talk about.