Das blaue Bidet oder Das eigentliche Leben

Jean Barbe has worked his way up from a laborer to become the largest button manufacturer in Europe. At 60, he wants to break free into real life. Without any baggage and with a well-filled wallet, he breaks away from all dependencies but becomes a victim of his habits. The path to freedom turns into an odyssey that fails due to circumstances and human abysses. As in all of Breitbach's work, this novel from 1978 also addresses the fundamental questions of individual and collective existence. Narrative mastery and stylistic brilliance make the play with perspectives and the dual dimension of the hero Jean Barbe a profound masterpiece about human uncertainty. The author reports on himself with skepticism, engaging in a playful exploration of narrative techniques and does not shy away from confronting a critic. In an afterword, the He.