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Dreams of Innocence
Searching for clues to her friend's mysterious death, Helena Latimer comes across the erotic diary of a young German woman, which sends her to Germany in search of the connection between the book and her friend's tangled history. 25,000 first printing.
592 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
Lisa Appignanesi
59 books101 followersaka Jessica Ayre
Elżbieta Borensztejn was born on 4 January 1946 in Łódź, Poland, the daughter of Hena and Aaron Borensztejn with Jewish origin. Following her birth, her parents moved to Paris, France, and in 1951 they emigrating to Canada. She grew up in the province of Quebec - first in a small Laurentian town, subsequently in Montreal.
She graduated from McGill University with a B.A. degree in 1966 and her M.A. the following year. During 1970-71 she was a staff writer for the Centre for Community Research in New York City and is a former University of Essex lecturer in European Studies. She was a founding member and editorial director of the Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative. Through the eighties she was a Deputy Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, UK, for whom she also edited the seminal Documents Series and established ICA television and the video Writers in Conversation series.
She produced several made for television films and had written a number of books before devoting herself to writing fulltime in 1990. In recognition of her contribution to literature, Lisa Appignanesi has been honoured with a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French government. In 2004, she became Deputy President of English PEN and has run its highly successful 'Free Expression is No Offence Campaign' against the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. In 2008 she became President of English PEN. She writes for The Guardian, The Independent and has made several series for BBC Radio 4, as well as frequently appearing as a cultural commentator.
In 1967, she married Richard Appignanesi, another writer, with whom she had one son in 1975, Josh Appignanesi, a film director. They divorced in 1984. With her life partner John Forrester, she had a daugther, Katrina Forrester, a Research Fellow in the history of modern political thought at St John's College, Cambridge. She lives in London.
Elżbieta Borensztejn was born on 4 January 1946 in Łódź, Poland, the daughter of Hena and Aaron Borensztejn with Jewish origin. Following her birth, her parents moved to Paris, France, and in 1951 they emigrating to Canada. She grew up in the province of Quebec - first in a small Laurentian town, subsequently in Montreal.
She graduated from McGill University with a B.A. degree in 1966 and her M.A. the following year. During 1970-71 she was a staff writer for the Centre for Community Research in New York City and is a former University of Essex lecturer in European Studies. She was a founding member and editorial director of the Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative. Through the eighties she was a Deputy Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, UK, for whom she also edited the seminal Documents Series and established ICA television and the video Writers in Conversation series.
She produced several made for television films and had written a number of books before devoting herself to writing fulltime in 1990. In recognition of her contribution to literature, Lisa Appignanesi has been honoured with a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French government. In 2004, she became Deputy President of English PEN and has run its highly successful 'Free Expression is No Offence Campaign' against the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. In 2008 she became President of English PEN. She writes for The Guardian, The Independent and has made several series for BBC Radio 4, as well as frequently appearing as a cultural commentator.
In 1967, she married Richard Appignanesi, another writer, with whom she had one son in 1975, Josh Appignanesi, a film director. They divorced in 1984. With her life partner John Forrester, she had a daugther, Katrina Forrester, a Research Fellow in the history of modern political thought at St John's College, Cambridge. She lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 3, 2023
An exasperatingly uneven novel: 4 stars and 2. The author offers wonderful, quotable descriptions of key moments, situations and states of mind. She also captures major events very well, such as the German Front during World War 1, the right-wing counter-revolution in Bavaria 1919, and life in the early phase of Nazi rule. But outside these heightened social periods the characters and events felt dull to me. There are long sections driven only by searches for missing people. The final third was hard to push through: even the twist at the end felt dreary.
It is set in two time periods. In the 1980s a woman searches in Bavaria for a missing old man, an environmental activist who she fears is the victim of foul play. The bulk of the story is set in this man’s childhood and young adulthood covering the two world wars.
The book was first published in 1994. From romantic and feminist perspectives it covers life as a Beautiful Woman; hot sex; the balancing of children against lovers; life with a career or without, life lived through the intellect or through feeling. The strongest male character is a talented, hyper-entitled artist, a champion of free sex as a social panacea; his shortcomings and seductive power both get much attention.
I think this novel would have worked much better without the 1980s material.
It is set in two time periods. In the 1980s a woman searches in Bavaria for a missing old man, an environmental activist who she fears is the victim of foul play. The bulk of the story is set in this man’s childhood and young adulthood covering the two world wars.
The book was first published in 1994. From romantic and feminist perspectives it covers life as a Beautiful Woman; hot sex; the balancing of children against lovers; life with a career or without, life lived through the intellect or through feeling. The strongest male character is a talented, hyper-entitled artist, a champion of free sex as a social panacea; his shortcomings and seductive power both get much attention.
I think this novel would have worked much better without the 1980s material.
February 8, 2010
ONE TO REMEMBER, INTENSE!
August 21, 2016
It was okay. I didn't care for it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews