The Silent Angel
Nov 2026 · Hachette UK
Ebook
192
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
shoppingmode16% price drop on Nov 10
About this ebook
May, 1945. Carrying the coat of a comrade who died in his place, German soldier Hans Schnitzler wanders the bombed-out streets of Cologne.
In search of the dead man's widow, he meets a woman as lost and grief-stricken as himself. At first, the two strangers envy the dead and struggle to imagine a future in their shattered world. But slowly, they begin to find solace in each other - until they realise, together in a ruined apartment without food or family, that they have found a final, flickering ember of hope.
Unpublished during his lifetime and recovered decades after his death, Heinrich Böll's first novel is now hailed as one of the most important works of trümmerliteratur (literature of the ruins) as well as a testament to the German Nobel Prize-winner's extraordinary genius.
A W&N Essential with an Introduction by Claire-Louise Bennett
May, 1945. Carrying the coat of a comrade who died in his place, German soldier Hans Schnitzler wanders the bombed-out streets of Cologne.
In search of the dead man's widow, he meets a woman as lost and grief-stricken as himself. At first, the two strangers envy the dead and struggle to imagine a...
Discover more
About the author
Heinrich Böll (1917-1985) was one of Germany's best-known and most respected novelists. His outstanding contribution to world literature and the leading part he played in the renewal of German literature received international recognition when, in 1972, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Heinrich Böll (1917-1985) was one of Germany's best-known and most respected novelists. His outstanding contribution to world literature and the leading part he played in the renewal of German literature received international recognition when, in 1972, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
