E
Ewald Arenz
Der große Sommer
Synopsis
Der große Sommer follows Frieder, a teenager whose summer plans collapse when failing grades in math and Latin mean he must spend the holidays being tutored by his stern grandfather instead of going on the family vacation.
What begins as a punishment turns into the defining season of his youth: he finds unlikely allies in Alma and Johann, and falls for Beate, the girl in the bottle-green swimsuit. Over these weeks, Frieder experiences friendship and fear, respect and trust, love and death in quick succession.
Ewald Arenz writes with clarity and warmth about the small, ordinary moments that end up changing a life permanently — the novel became one of his best-known works and a staple of German school reading lists.
Genres
Frequently asked questions
Is the story based on the author's own life?
While not a direct autobiography, the author has stated that the novel is inspired by his own youth and experiences as the eldest of seven siblings. He also drew upon his personal history with his own step-grandfather to model the character of the strict grandfather in the book.
How is the story structured?
The narrative is primarily told from the perspective of the protagonist looking back on his youth as an adult. While the bulk of the book focuses on the events of that specific summer, the framing device features the narrator reflecting on those months from a later point in his life.
