Though Tomas is half-German, he is taught by English war veterans. He walks the ruins of Coventry with his English Gran, still crumbling from the blitz. Later, when Tomas nears adulthood, he goes to Germany to stay with his enigmatic uncle, Herr Poppel. The blind, elderly man was once a German soldier. Tomas has more family out in Dresden, a city still maimed by Allied firebombs. What does a young man make of all this atrocity, guilt and his own disgust at the past? What might we inherit from the wars of our elders, and how might we move on? ‘The novel’s blunt, no-frills economy is part of its charm. Goodman writes with flare and panache, and the narrative fizzes along. Goodman’s novel soars.’ - The Times
‘A perceptive, moving novel. Martin Goodman takes fierce delight in cutting through the easy cliches about the new Europe.’ - Christopher Hope
‘This excellent first novel’s central character is so completely realised he could have walked out of one of those enigmatic Bruce Chatwin pieces about old mysterious European types.’ - Time Out
‘Heralds a new dawn for British writing.’ - Daily Post AUTHOR: Born in Leicester, Martin’s career in writing, teaching and publishing has taken him around the globe. ‘All we can do is rattle the bars and look after him as he runs into the hills. We wait for his letters home.’
The Los Angeles Times. He’s published eleven books, including non-fiction. He is an Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Hull. SELLING POINTS: . Critically acclaimed, Whitbread Shortlisted novel from Martin Goodman . A story about the inheritance of war guilt in a post-war Europe. Perfect for history enthusiasts fascinated by legacy, society and WW2 . It explores how the next generation reconcile the sins of the last; On Bended Knees remains relevant to the young generations of today