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Flights of Love: Stories
Bernhard Schlink brings to these seven superbly crafted stories the same sleek concision and moral acuity that made The Reader an international bestseller. His characters–men with importunate appetites and unfortunate habits of deception–are uneasily suspended between the desire for love and the impulse toward flight.
A young boy’s fascination with an eerily erotic painting...more
A young boy’s fascination with an eerily erotic painting...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
December 18th 2007
by Vintage
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Picked this up because I wanted to get beyond the tortured obsessions of Homecoming, and Schlink is so highly thought of, I wondered whether I was being overly critical. Happily this collection of short stories is much better, although not uniformly. The first, “Girl and Lizard” is written in the same dessicated and tortured style that beset Homecoming, only this time it’s over a painting. It’s also marred by Schlink’s tendency to sink into a courtroom inquisition substitute for conversation t...more
Promises met
Bernhard Schlink created a devoted following with the translation of his first novel THE READER. Opinion was divided among critics and readers as to whether or not this author was playing on simplistic heart-string tuggings or whether he really had somthing new to say and an equal talent to say it. Being part of the camp of readers who were caught up in the story of 'The Reader' and waited eagerly to see just where this writer would/could go, I am happy to say that FLIGH...more
Bernhard Schlink created a devoted following with the translation of his first novel THE READER. Opinion was divided among critics and readers as to whether or not this author was playing on simplistic heart-string tuggings or whether he really had somthing new to say and an equal talent to say it. Being part of the camp of readers who were caught up in the story of 'The Reader' and waited eagerly to see just where this writer would/could go, I am happy to say that FLIGH...more
In ‘The Reader’ Bernard Schlink utilized an affair between a teenage boy and an SS solder to explore the relationship between Germany’s past and present. Through his unsympathetic, blunt and distinctive prose he investigates the wider effects of concentration camps beyond terrified Jews huddled in gas chambers. The result is astounding; an erotic, tragic, and beautiful narrative demonstrating how morals blur, and love changes.
In ‘Flights of Love’ Schlink is just as unforgiving in his...more
In ‘Flights of Love’ Schlink is just as unforgiving in his...more
There are times when I find the deliberateness of Bernhard Schlink perfect for the pace of my mind, and other times we are just out of sync. He continues in his thoughtful,steady manner, but I crave the quirky humor of Douglas Adams or Chris Moore, or even (shudder) something cotton candy light, to fluff out the creases in my brain. I think that may be why it took me so long to work through these stories-- my intellect wouldn't cooperate. I was never emotionally swept away by anything in the boo...more
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Schlink has written seven stories with male German protagonists. To me what unites the stories is a certain moodiness as the men examine the nature of love in their lives. Most deal with regret and loss. Some are compassionate and some shocking. It's difficult for me to rate the book as a single work. Of course I feel more strongly about some stories than others. I decided to go the generous route. I wasn't particularly impressed with the first three stories, though they are interesting, ...more
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Mel
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I really liked Schlink's dry writing style in The Reader, where you had a whole book to learn about the characters and like them. It does NOT work so well in short stories. I was bored almost from page 1 and had to drag myself through this whole book. Even though almost every story was 50 pages long, I never understood the characters or their motivations to like them, let alone understand them. It shouldn't've taken me almost 3 weeks to read a 200 page book when if I really like a story I can re...more
My thoughts on "Girl with a Lizard":
One's life, emotion, and feeling may be explained; the painting may take-on more meaning then anything else. She may offer an explanation for an unhappy or cheerful life that cannot be given by simple words and actions.
My thoughts after reading "The Other Man":
Most don't understand the burden and cold gift that vengeance can be. The weak and trying obsession with the other person. How often you wish to be close to ...more
One's life, emotion, and feeling may be explained; the painting may take-on more meaning then anything else. She may offer an explanation for an unhappy or cheerful life that cannot be given by simple words and actions.
My thoughts after reading "The Other Man":
Most don't understand the burden and cold gift that vengeance can be. The weak and trying obsession with the other person. How often you wish to be close to ...more
After enjoying his books (The Reader and Homecoming), I thought I'd bite and try this one. I must say, I think I enjoy his short stories even more. Amazing, little "slices of life" vignettes-- which alternately leave you wanting more and yet satisfied with the conclusions as well. However, if you're a lover of neat, tidy lives and happy endings, I wouldn't read this man's stories.
This book, like "The Reader," is written in a very dry, unemotional style. It often reads like a psychologist's notes or a list hypothetical questions for philosophical discussion- you won't feel the love when you read this book, or care about the characters as they ponder their love dilemmas. I'm going to skip Schlink from now on.
An astounding array of brilliant short stories sharing a broad theme on the nature of emotional connection. Profoundly moving and sad in a dream-like confrontation of mind and body as well as reality and hope. Well worth the time spent in speculating over Schlink's existential themes and black humor.
Call me stupid, but I didn't realize these were short stories. I started it and then had a few days' lapse before resuming reading, and I was so confused trying to piece together characters, until I realized they were completely different stories. So, probably that shaded my enjoyment, but even so, some of the stories were interesting, but this isn't a book I'd feel compelled to re-read.
U srpskom prevodu "Bekstva od ljubavi" izdavač Plato 2003. Biblioteka "Posle Orfeja". Kome se svideo oskarovac iz 2009-te "Čitač" verovatno će se pronaći i u ovoj zbirci novela Bernharda Šlinka.
I enjoyed the book. Now I want to go see the movie with Cate Winslet. She is nominated for an oscar for best actress and the movie in the best movie category.
I love stories compiled to form a wonderful novel. From an astounding author who wrote The Reader, this book will bring another huge effect on me, I am sure of that.
Wonderful stories of love - all different kinds of love. Am a big fan of Schlink & look forward to reading more of his work!
I rarely read short stories but because Schlink is such a good writer I broke down.....well worth the effort
Flights of Love recalls Kazuo Ishiguro’s Nocturnes, in that each story explores the notion of ‘love’.
As much as ‘love’ is the central theme, masculine identity, modern Germany and how one copes with change are all recurring ideas through the separate narratives. A step down from the other two books, I would still recommend this to readers. The worst that I can say about it is that some of the stories seem as much set pieces to explore separate philosophical treatise with unifying theme...more
As much as ‘love’ is the central theme, masculine identity, modern Germany and how one copes with change are all recurring ideas through the separate narratives. A step down from the other two books, I would still recommend this to readers. The worst that I can say about it is that some of the stories seem as much set pieces to explore separate philosophical treatise with unifying theme...more
Seven interesting stories of love...some more pretentious than others. The stories I liked were Girl with Lizard, The Other Man, and Sugar Peas.
Die Geschichten haben mir sehr gut gefallen - richtig zum hineinträumen.
Very existential and thought-provoking, awesome short reading
Excellent short stories about all sorts of relationships.
I'll finish it. Someday.
(I hope)
(I hope)
Wonderful Short Stories
Because the movie "The Reader" based on Schlink's book was so gripping, I became attracted to reading other works of his. This book of shorter stories allowed me to pace myself.
Each one is very interesting.
The possibility of a stepping stone to writing a full-blown novel of unrequited love through shorter stories became clear to me.
Highly recommended.
Each one is very interesting.
The possibility of a stepping stone to writing a full-blown novel of unrequited love through shorter stories became clear to me.
Highly recommended.
I enjoyed the first story.
So I was completely confused with this book. I missed the part about it being short stories, so I kept trying to piece the stories together, which was very frustrating. Perhaps if I started the book again knowing they were unrelated stories I would enjoy it more. However one of the stories about a painting drove me crazy and the end of the story made me mad - what the character did to the painting in the end.
This book is interesting. It is a compilation of short stories. All have a German tie to them. Very different than most books that I've read.
This book is a collection of short stories that explores love and relationships
I normally have trouble with short stories; they end too soon and I have difficulty erasing the memory of one as I move on to the next. However these are meaty, long, beautifully crafted stories all around the central theme of love or lack of love. My real favourites were The Other Man and Sugar Peas. He is such a good author.
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Bernhard Schlink is a German jurist and writer. He became a judge at the Constitutional Court of the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia in 1988 and has been a professor of public law and the philosophy of law at Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany since January 2006.
His career as a writer began with several detective novels with a main character named Selb--a play on the German w...more
More about Bernhard Schlink...
His career as a writer began with several detective novels with a main character named Selb--a play on the German w...more
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