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Bernofsky’s biography of Robert Walser is infectious in its enthusiasm for its subject, whose literary ability was hard-earned, his success hard-fought, and his oeuvre largely overlooked until the 21st century. While reading, I found myself anxiously cheering for Robert’s first big break and continued literary success, despite knowing the truth about the slow, tragic end he came to. Walser’s determination to succeed at a craft he had little natural talent for is inspiring; he felt that writing w...
Do I feel as if I know more about Robert Walser after reading this book? I’m not sure. I only had a vague impression of him as a person before reading it (much of it recklessly deduced from his own writing), and to be honest at best the blurry edges of that impression have since only marginally come into focus. To be clear, I do not in any way find fault with Susan Bernofsky, who I think has done an admirable job fashioning the paucity of detailed information about Walser into what is in the end...
Blurb on the back-cover asserting walser might’ve been “proto-queer” reeee
I'm an admirer of Walser, and of Bernofsky's translations of Walser, so perhaps it's no surprise that this book sings - and yet, the combination of line-level analysis, myth-busting (re: Walser's legendary sanatorium stay), and research is intoxicating.
Susan Bernofsky leaves no stone unturned in examining the life of the enigmatic peripatetic Swiss writer, Robert Walser. The obsessive nature of her sleuthing is evident in her appendix uncovering the countless addresses that Walser had throughout his life. No detail escapes her notice, not even scouring the Anzeiger für die Stadt Bern (April 30, 1926):“His search for a new home must have been precipitous, since the room on Junkerngasse he moved into on May 1, 1926, had been put on offer one da...
Filling in the Spaces Surrounding a GhostSusan Bernofsky provides the many details, both personal and social, that comprised the author Robert Walser. She avoids romanticizing his struggles and usually gives him the last word on matters pertaining to his own way of life and his unique thinking. There are unanswered questions and a somewhat subdued approach at work, but overall this biography is thorough and engaging.
