Nadolny's masterpiece, a huge commercial and critical success in Germany and across Europe, recounts the life of one of the most interesting explorers of the nineteenth century - Sir John Franklin who, amongst other achievements, paved the way for the discovery of the NorthWest Passage.
By means of Nadolny's acute reading of history and his storytelling prowess, the reader follows this misfit's development from awkward schoolboy to expedition leader, Governor of Tasmania, icon of adventure. Not only a riveting account of a remarkable life, The Discovery of Slowness is also a profound and thought-provoking meditation on time.The result is an extraordinary reading experience that justifies the novel's reputation as one of the classics of contemporary German literature.

Translated by: Ralph Freedman