This dramatic, thought-provoking novel challenges us to consider the moral and creative problems faced by acclaimed Jewish film director G.W. Pabst as Hitler comes to power. After Pabst travels back to Europe from Hollywood, the Nazis force him to remain and film in Austria for the duration of the war where he struggles with family loyalty, love for his country, and his own driving ambition. Vivid descriptions of 1940s film techniques and scenes with greats like Greta Garbo, the film propagandist Leni Riefenstahl, and writer Alfred Karrasch. Dramatic and thought-provoking.
The Director by Daniel Kehlmann, (List Price: $28.99, S&S/Summit Books, 9781668087794, May 2025)
Reviewed by Patience Allan-Glick, Hills & Hamlets Bookshop in Carrollton, Georgia