The Afternoon of a Writer

“The day is rich for the anonymous writer who is the protagonist of this book. In the morning he grapples with the Beckettian dilemma, giving shape to nothing with the tissue of delicate language, always aware that the last word may be the end of his ability to express. A page, maybe two, and then comes the giddy reward of an afternoon's walk through the city. Observation and intuition are this writer's tools as he recharges himself with the experience of life . . . Handke is a strikingly talented Austrian writer who, in this novel, focuses on the process of writing. This pithy text is equally important for writers and readers since its eminently accessible investigation of creativity leads both toward a realization of their common need for experience. While other writers have exhaustingly failed to make clear the intricacies of this delicate creative process, Handke succeeds with stylish simplicity.”—Library Journal

“This deceptively simple, yet highly challenging and original novella reaffirms Handke's preeminence on the international literary scene.”—Publishers Weekly