by Wilhelm Genazino 
Original: Ein Regenschirm für diesen Tag
Translated from the German by Philip Boehm
Germany. 192 pages. 2001.
ISBN 0811215830
This brief and poignant novel from Germany explores existential questions as its 46-year-old narrator reflects on broken relationships and other failures, and struggles to come to terms with life.
The Shoe Tester of Frankfurt by Wilhelm Genazino, 2004 recipient of the Georg-Büchner-Preis, Germany’s highest literary honor, is finally available to English-speaking readers in a pitch-perfect translation by Philip Boehm.
Employed by a high-end shoe manufacturer to test new products, the narrator spends his days wandering through his native city, encountering faces from his past (primarily female) and experiencing anew the many manifestations of the mystery of life. In the grand tradition of literary flâneurs, he takes note of his surroundings, from the significant to the mundane, and assembles them into a sort of mental collage that is at once self-portrait and cityscape.
Most remarkable in Genazino’s work is the humor with which he invests this melancholic character. Though at times he fears that he teeters on the brink of insanity, he good-naturedly pursues the strange twists of fate that land him variously behind a table at the flea market, in a newspaper office, by the banks of a flooded river, or in a friend’s bed. As Peter von Matt wrote in Der Spiegel, “Indeed, there is hardly a subtler humorist among today’s writers than Genazino.” (New Directions Publishing Corp.)
About the Author:
Wilhelm Genazino (born 22 January 1943, Mannheim) is a German journalist and author.
In the 1960s, he studied German, philosophy and sociology at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main. He worked as a journalist until 1965. During this time, he worked, inter alia, for the satirical magazine Pardon and co-edited the magazine Lesezeichen. Since 1970 he has been working as a freelance author. In 1977 he achieved a breakthrough as a serious writer with his trilogy Abschaffel. In 1990 he became a member of the Academy for Language and Poetry in Darmstadt. After living in Heidelberg for a long time, Genazino moved to Frankfurt in 2004. That same year he was awarded the Georg Büchner Prize, the most prestigious award for German literature. (Wikipedia)
ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR: Philip Boehm is a playwright, theater director, and author of numerous translations from Polish and German. He won the Austrian State Prize for Literary Translations in 1990. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
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For those who enjoyed the Broccoli Salad I brought to Jane’s house last month, here’s the recipe, which I found on Chow.com – mine was an adaptation. Enjoy!
Korean Style Broccoli Salad (Fusion)
by [hannaone]
TIME/SERVINGS
Total: Up to 2 hours 10 minutes
Active: 15 minutes
Makes:
This is a well received tossed broccoli salad with a Korean twist.
INGREDIENTS
6 cups broccoli florets
Dressing:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Korean rice vinegar
1 tablespoon pure roasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 inch knob of fresh ginger
4 cloves fresh garlic
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Optional:
1 teaspoon coarse ground red chili pepper chili flakes
INSTRUCTIONS
Preparation :
Broccoli : -
Heat water in stove top or electric steamer (or a large lidded pot with a colander, sieve, or strainer that can sit above water level).
Wash broccoli florets in cold water then place into steamer.
Steam until tender crisp (3 to 5 minutes).
Sesame Seeds:–
Check for and discard stones and broken kernels (Usually only found in bulk product).
Heat a dry skillet/pan over medium high heat, add sesame seeds, and toast until golden browned, stirring often.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Thin slice the garlic, then sliver each slice.
Peel ginger and finely grate.
Mix Dressing:
Whisk soy sauce, vinegar, oil and honey together in a large bowl until until well mixed.
Add ginger, garlic, and 1/2 the sesame seeds and mix well.
Let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to let the flavor develop.
Final Mix:
Add broccoli to dressing and toss.
Let stand at room temperature for up to two hours, tossing every so often.
Move broccoli to serving dish and pour the dressing from the bowl over it.
Sprinkle with remaining sesame seed and chili flakes if desired.