Dar Al Mada Publishing in Baghdad has recently released 80-page novella, The Story of Mr Sommer (Die Geschichte von Herrn Sommer), written by renowned German author Patrick Süskind in Arabic. It has been translated by Syrian critic, Nabeel Al Haffar. The work is considered one of the author’s best short literary titles, who gained popularity in the Arab world through his novel, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Das Parfum), which was published in 1985 in Germany and topped sales for nine years, before being adapted to the screen in 2006. The novel was published in Arabic by Al Kamel Publishing a few years ago, and has received positive reviews by Arab readers who love European literature.
The Story of Mr. Sommer is set in a small village in the German countryside where residents all know each other. Gossip reigns supreme and any rumour or news makes the rounds verbally. One day, a new resident leaves his home in the morning and comes back home at night without speaking a single word, and the villagers start passing rumours about this stranger, trying to unveil his obscure character.