Great Reads for Great Readers

 

The Hungry and the Fat, by Timur Vermes.

 

  

          For those myriads who are already familiar with Timur Vermes and his wonderful satire ‘Look who’s Back’ (none other than the little tyrant himself!) – the prospect of another hilarious, biting commentary on contemporary Germany is to be savoured – and reflected upon:  how much is satire, and how much is truth?

            According to the rising Far Right parties in Deutschland, the country is awash with refugees, mostly Muslim, all allowed in by Mutti Angela (that fat cow!). Now she is marching off into the sunset, greeting retirement without a backward glance, leaving all the new Nazis to clean up the mess after her.  It’s not to be born!  Add to that a private TV channel hoping to up its ratings on the Reality Celeb circuit, has decided to send Nadeche Hackenbusch, model and TV star, and purveyor of such vital feminine aids as the Hackenpush-up (a push-up bra guaranteed to levitate any size breast skyward), to a huge, real refugee camp in Africa, where she will dispense food, water, advice (advice?), Hackenpush-ups (to women who have never worn such things in their lives) and endless sympathy for their plight, all the while being filmed by a camera crew, her endless good deeds recounted breathlessly by a magazine writer.  She will be known as Germany’s ‘Angel in Adversity’.  The ratings – and advertising – should go through the roof!

            Except that human nature gets in the way.  One occupant of the refugee camp is particularly resourceful and decides that, instead of receiving aid from Germany – albeit from the Angel – it would be far preferable to make the trek overland to Germany, their benefactor;  after all, look how many have already done so.  They could introduce new industries to Deutschland, like Goat-herding, for example:  there don’t seem to be many Goat herds - or herders, for that matter.  It could be a whole new industry. 

            Where there’s a will there’s a way and, despite initial utter disbelief then threats from the authorities 350,000 people start the trek from Africa overland to Europe, countries along the way divesting themselves conveniently of their asylum-seekers at the same time:  Germany is doing them all a favour!  Last but not least, the Angel in Adversity is leading the charge:  her ratings are stratospheric, and she and the resourceful one are now a couple.  (Never mind that she has a family of sorts back home).  All is well until it isn’t, when Germany decides to stop them in their tracks, and mass tragedy predictably occurs.

            Timur Vermes has again hit us where it hurts, exposing all our terrible flaws;  racism, NIMBYISM, hypocrisy and greed.  And because he must be very kind, he does it with great humour, most ably assisted by his excellent translator Jamie Bullock.  SIX STARS!