This astonishing novel begins in 1907, when Josef Siedler, a science-fiction devotee, ventures deep into a series of caves in search of an entrance to the underworld. Disappointed in his quest, he nonetheless returns with a peculiar souvenir: a small rock sample that emits a strange humming sound. Upon Siedler’s death, the rock is bequeathed to his nephew, a significant step in what will become an extraordinary journey through the arc of history. For as the stone passes through the hands of a series of owners, it collects their experiences: from pre-World War I ambitions and inter-war anarchism to conditions during World War II, the bleakness of life in post-war East Germany, the German art scene of the 1960s, and more. These “snapshots” of the twentieth century serve to chronicle the continuity of humanity, with all its strengths and weaknesses, in spare, haunting prose. In The Brummstein, Danish author Peter Adolphsen has spun a mystical—and movingly memorable—exploration of the meaning of life.
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"This slim little novel is the story of a small rock from it's creation and how it was passed on from person to person after it was chipped off a larger rock. A strange little novel, but appealing because of the spare but descriptive writing." — Joy (4 out of 5 stars)
"This slim little novel is the story of a small rock from it's creation and how it was passed on from person to person after it was chipped off a larger rock. A strange little novel, but appealing because of the spare but descriptive writing."
“Thought-provoking, this is a gem of a little book.
" This book has got off to a slow start, with a long and detailed explanation of the formation of the Alps. Now I have got through the geological part, I am quite enjoying the story and looking forward to seeing how it develops. More later! "
" The only thing that could make this work better would be for there to be more of it. It is, believe it or not, the fictional provenance of a fictional rock, and yet the writing is utterly absorbing and charming. "
" It had its ups and downs, mostly it was a slog. There were some great parts to it, but for the most part the novella was bogged down by the overly scientific language in its beginning. The whole thing was just so European. "
" Following the stone through history was really interesting. i loved how its possession keot flowing from owner to owner. I just wished the end had more of a story to it. "
Peter Adolphsen was born in 1972 and attended the Danish Writers School from 1993-95. At twenty-five, he made his debut as an author with a collection of short prose entitled Small Stories, followed in 2000 by Small Stories 2. His novel Machine was published in English in 2008.
John Lee is the winner of numerous Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He has twice won acclaim as AudioFile’s Best Voice in Fiction & Classics. He also narrates video games, does voice-over work, and writes plays. He is an accomplished stage actor and has written and coproduced the feature films Breathing Hard and Forfeit. He played Alydon in the 1963–64 Doctor Who serial The Daleks.
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