Mr Adamson

Widmer Urs

The day is Friday, May 22, 2032. On this day, the day after his ninety-fourth birthday, a man is sitting in a beautiful garden. It is a paradise where he often played during his childhood, and it is here that he is recording the story of his adventures with Mr. Adamson. In the course of this compelling novel from Swiss author Urs Widmer, this man narrates his unusual story to his granddaughter, Anni. While he recounts his life, he is also waiting – waiting for the arrival of this very Mr. Adamson, whom he has not seen since the age of eight. Even then it was a mysterious encounter – a glimpse into realms that normally remain concealed to the living. For Mr. Adamson died at the very moment when our narrator was born, and he will soon return to escort the ninety-four-year-old narrator into another paradise.

Told with Urs Widmer's signature humor, genius, and lively imagination, "Mr Adamson" is a superb story and a spellbinding book. With its vitality and zest for life, it manages to hold at bay that scandal we must all face in our lives: death.

About the Author

Urs Widmer is a Swiss novelist, playwright, essayist, and short-story writer. He is the author of many books, including "My Mother's Lover" and "My Father's Book", both published by Seagull Books. Donal McLaughlin specializes in translating contemporary Swiss fiction. He has translated more than one hundred writers for the "New Swiss Writing" anthologies.

Reviews

"One of the best representatives of Swiss literature" – Le Monde

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