|
Categories: Science fiction Fantasy Mystery Romance Business Classic Sports Young adult Humor Memoirs See all categories... |
|
Categories: Science fiction Fantasy Mystery Romance Business Classic Sports Young adult Humor Memoirs See all categories... |
In this short novel, a monomaniacal 'scientist' more or less deliberately alienates himself from society in order to focus on his work. The man known as Koller has lost a leg to a dog bite for which he received compensation enough to live on, thus allowing him to fully immerse himself in developing his theory of physiognomy. Central to this theory is his experience of regular dining at a low cost restaurant known as the Vienna Public Kitchen (VPK) with a group of men he refers to as 'the cheap-eaters,' so-called for their cheap dining habits. Some of Bernhard's favorite themes find their voice in Koller, as he rails against formal education, parents, and authority in general, as well as provincialism and anti-intellectualism (the latter being a central theme in most of Bernhard's work). [adapted from