Aus dem Berg der Verzweiflung einen Stein der Hoffnung schlagen

In his famous speech 'I Have a Dream' in 1963, Martin Luther King professed a faith that empowers us to transform the mountain of despair into a stone of hope. But are such dreams realistic today, in light of the dramatic climate change, global pandemics, and a terrible war in Europe? Terms like 'visitation' and 'turning point' are often mentioned. Both concepts run like a red thread through this book. Christoph Störmer demonstrates that there are indeed 'stones of hope.' Christmas and Easter are encouraging visitations and turning points. They can also be found in music, poetry, and various biographies. This is illustrated through the works of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen, as well as the satirists Robert Gernhardt and Peter Rühmkorf. The 'Seven Stars' of the class of 1921: Marti, Fried, Dürrenmatt, Scholl, Aichinger, Borchert, Watzlawick. Additionally, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela are highlighted. Finally, the author questions which beliefs are better left unsaid, which can be embraced, and how one can 'gain land' or 'make oneself scarce' in old age.