Über Liebe und Magie – I Put a Spell on You

For me, this is the best book I have read this year. I believe it truly concerns the greatest writer of our time: Matthias Brandt. Autobiographical writing is existential for John Burnside. With "Lies About My Father" and "Like Everyone Else," he has radically and honestly uncovered the dark materials that he processes in his highly acclaimed poems and novels. In this volume, he turns to the source of strength from which he draws the most: love in all its forms. Sometimes protective like a mother's love in small, tender gestures, sometimes intoxicating like first love, sometimes dangerous like secret affairs, and sometimes destructive like sexual dependency. It is this dangerous side of love that fascinates the author and allows him to peer into human abysses. A memoir of exceptional quality: John Burnside combines personal memories, reflections, and unvarnished self-exploration in "On Love and Magic" into a unique work of art. It reached number 1 on the SWR Best List in February 2020.