The Train Was on Time (European Classics)

Rating:
Summary: Fateful Journey
Review: Andreas, a German soldier in World War Two, is on a troop train destined for the Eastern Front. He is convinced that he will meet his death there. He is sure of the time of his demise, if not the precise location.

The main interest in "Der Zug war pünktlich" is whether or not Andreas will escape his "fate", and the fact that Andreas's certainty of his death causes him to question how he has lived his life. Various incidents on the journey cause him to recall past experiences: most often such thoughts are stimulated by food of smells (perhaps a Proustian influence in Böll's writing?)

"Der Zug war pünktlich" is therefore, a very introspective and reflective novel. There were various plot devices which I thought let it down slightly: the character type represented in this novel by the Pole Olina, for example, has popped up in various guises in World War Two stories and films.

Nonetheless, this is the first novel by Böll I've read, and it was interesting enough to encourage further reading of his works.

G Rodgers

Rating:
Summary: Der Zug war pünktlich
Review: I had to read this for a senior-level university class on the wars of the Twentieth Century. I read it originally in English, although I have since re-read it in the original German. I remember very clearly the day I sat down to read it. I had to read it and its companion novel, "Where were you, Adam?", and I was running behind on my reading. I had just finished the first novel, and I sat down to read the second novel-only 110 pages. And something happened that rarely happens to me reading: I was so affected that I cried. I sobbed through a good half of it...

The story is of a young German soldier who leaves Paris on a train on a Wednesday in September of 1943 and he is absolutely positive he will die on Sunday at 6:00am. He has numerous opportunities to leave the train (on pain of court-martial, of course), and yet he cannot and will not. He feels powerless to resist his fate.

Heinrich Böll was a master. And, while this is not one of his more famous novels, it is splendid. I strongly encourage you to pick this one up.

Rating:
Summary: Der Zug war pünktlich
Review: I started reading this book for a project in my high school German class, and finished it while I was traveling in Europe. it's very short, and shouldn't take more than a day to read-my mom claims it took less than two hours-but it took me a while, for whatever reason. Anyways, I highly recommend this book. The bleak, wartime images that Böll conjurs up stick with the reader long after finishing the book; I read it over a year ago, and certain lines and pictures still run through my head.

Wolfgang Borchert and Erich Remarque get more press as German postwar authors, but Heinrich Böll, with this book, deserves attention. Read it- despite the bleak subject matter, it's fun, and even funny at parts.

Rating:
Summary: A short story- - - s t r e t c h e d
Review: Not a novel with a good story line,character development,visual scenes,humor,etc.Most of the book consists of mental gymnastics over expecting death soon.After a hundred pages of this one is left with wondering if this is ever going anywhere and finally all wraps up in a few pages.So, its a classic and with all its mental gymnastics,can probably provide lots of inconclusive discussion fodder.It reminds me of the stuff we were subjected to in school which turned so many of us off.If you like this sort of stuff,great. If not,don't be too influenced by classics,prize winners,best sellers,etc. There's a whole world of books out there,whatever your taste,go find them and enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Enter The Twilight Zone
Review: This is a remarkable book that is only about 100 pages long. The author, Heinrich Boll, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1972. It's clear as to why he won the Prize after reading this book. It's a well-written European Classic. I forget how I discovered it. I think I saw it listed as required reading for a Literature class somewhere in New York. It's about a German Soldier and his adventure on a train as he envisions and wonders how he will die. The 'Twilight Zone' ending comes only too SOON. Great book with some great lines...like the one that reminded me that life is beautiful and that cheese, white wine, bread and cookies make for a glorious meal. It's true. I tried the simplicity of this glorious meal, today, on this summer afternoon of June 23,2001.