okay, i didn't read this in german. i don't even think the story, "Train Dreams", is available in a book in this country except anthologized (o henry prize awards two thousand something). the point is that after years of less-than-stellar novels, Johnson (one of my favorite writers) completely shifted gears and wrote this beautiful, beautiful story. this is perhaps the best thing he's ever written. since then his novel Tree of Smoke came out and received rave reviews and a prize or two. i haven't read it yet, but it's exciting to see this guy in top form again.