A Sense of the Beginning

A poignant novel of political-religious awakening by one of Germany's literary stars

An anonymous phone call, an unattended bag discovered in the station of a small Austrian town, a piece of paper saying, "Repent!" and "Next time it will be for real!" A C.C.T.V. image of a young man. What was it that made the teacher think it was his old student, Daniel?

Ten years earlier Daniel had spent time with the teacher in his remote house by the river. The town had talked. Anton had recently returned ...