Thomas Berger's debut novel of a young man tumultuously coming of age in postwar GermanyCarlo Reinhart, a young American army medic stationed in Germany, confronts a disturbing new world following the end of World War II. Living in Berlin, a city fractured into barricaded sectors by the occupying powers, Reinhart begins to drive himself mad with memories of the evils he has witnessed and questions about how the atrocities took place. When he meets an idealistic Jew...

Thomas Berger puts his signature spin on the Greek myth ORESTEIA in this brilliant story set in small-town America."Gripping and funny, and, like the Greek tragedies, it leaves us thoughtful" — San Francisco ChronicleWhen Augie leaves to join the army, it's the first time his family sees him as anything but a waste of space. Not too worried about the kids and fairly certain his wife is having an affair, Augie pulls up his bootstraps and enlists.

Pulitzer Prize nominee and author of The Feud, Thomas Berger displays his genre bending prowess once more in this mystery turned comedy, featuring unforgettable dialogue and an extremely fun cast of characters."Berger's style, which is one of the great pleasures of the book, is something like S.J. Perelman's—educated, complicated, graceful, silly, destructive in spirit and brilliant." —Leonard Michaels, New York Times Book ReviewRussel Wren ...

A "splendid" and witty take on the Arthurian legend by the acclaimed author of Little Big Man ( The New York Times Book Review).The myth of King Arthur has been told countless ways since the sixth century, always combining action, adventure, romance, and tragedy. In Arthur Rex, Thomas Berger updates the legend in irreverent fashion, forever changing King Arthur and his Round Table. In Berger's medieval England, the damsel in distress is ne...

The Pulitzer Prize–nominated author of Little Big Man offers "high-concept storytelling" in this "satirical fantasy" of a man who builds the perfect woman ( New York Times ).Twice-divorced engineer Ellery Pierce is done with women. At least, the kind made of flesh and blood. A technician at an animatronics firm, Ellery has everything he needs to build the ideal female. But once ...

"Frightening . . . [the] domestic confessions as expressed by the accomplished satiric wit of Mr. Berger are certainly not to be trusted . . . wonderfully bizarre." — The New York Times Book ReviewChuck Burgoyne appears to be the perfect houseguest. Between his impeccable manners and gourmet breakfasts, the Graves family is utterly charmed by him. He even rescues a family member from drowning in the ocean! But then one morning, Chuck does ...

Thomas Berger breaks all the rules in this detective story that's less who-done-it, and more why-done-it."An original and powerful tale of a saintly murderer."—Arthur Koestler"Detweiler is one of the most complex characters in modern fiction...the eeriest thing about him is that he is wholly believable, which is to say, of course, that Thomas Berger is a magnificent novelist."— National ReviewMeet Joseph Detweiler—a polite, sincere, and though...

Detective Russel Wren takes a case in what just might be the oddest country on earthA phone call warning of a bomb threat is all Detective Russel Wren needs to get out the door. He makes it to the next block before an enormous explosion destroys his entire building. Without his Manhattan office, Wren finds himself forced to accept a strange mission to the tiny central European nation of Saint Sebastian.Saint Sebastian is unlike any country Wren has ever seen...

Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, The Feud chronicles a hilariously destructive rivalry between families from neighboring towns in 1930s America."A comic masterpiece." —Anne TylerWhat begins as a small spat over an unlit cigar in a hardware store spirals out of control for Dolf Beller and Bud Bullard. Dolf has come to make good on a promise he made to his wife years ago. Feeling generous, he's fina...

"The characters in Best Friends...are...recognizably human in their weaknesses and their destinies. It is Berger's genius as an observer and storyteller that we never, for a moment, take our eyes off them."—Jeffrey Frank, The Washington Post Book World A moving story about childhood friendships falling under the strain of adulthood quickly becomes so much more in this tale that is as absurd as it is true to life from the author of Little Big Man. Roy Courtright and Sam Grendy have been bes...

A dozen remarkable short stories from the author of Little Big Man, offering an absurdist journey through the mind of one of America's great storytellersThomas Berger's first short story collection in almost thirty years showcases the author's acclaimed wit, intellect, and emotional sureness. His pages teem with larger-than-life characters: Dr. Poon, a Hollywood snake handler in way over his head during a film shoot in Southeast Asia; Charlie, an apartment...

From the author of Little Big Man comes a modern retelling of Robinson Crusoe that is an introspective look at the human condition only Thomas Berger could deliver."Both a survival tale and a story of the redemptive power of love and nature, the novel exudes an optimism rare in contemporary fiction." — Library JournalOn a fishing expedition with one friend he can barely tolerate and two other men he barely knows, Robert Crews is con...