Flotsam: A Novel

I think Remarque is a terrific writer. The characters are so unique and very real. The book follows three emmigrees from Germany in the 30's . Kern a 20 yr old half Jewish student. Ruth a young Jewish woman. And Steiner a German political refugee. They travel illegally over the border between. Check, Austria, Switzerland and end up in Paris.I highly recommend this book.

I really enjoy reading this type of novel. This was a very difficult time. A sad time for mankind . But we hope and pray it does happen again.

Brilliantly written portrait of the displaced people who had to float illegally across Europe. Flotsam indeed. The author was a master of scenes and moods.

For all of us too young to know the actual frightening holocaust of mid-20th century Europe, here it is, portrayed in the most graphic and yet touching and life affirming terms.

"Flotsom" may have had relevance when it was written, but without any timeliness to sustain it the novel shows Eric Maria Remarque at his worst. The book is mercilessly padded and amounts to little more than the expetriences of two men moving back and forth across the border. The plight of the stateless as Europe was about to erupt deserves far better.

WW1 Aftermath leading to Nazis and WW2

A wonderful book from wonderful author

Flotsam by Erich Maria Remarque is the first of a trilogy. It tells the story of several refugees from Germany prior to World War II who are shunted back and forth across borders without any regard for their dignity, and without those countries taking any serious interest in finding a solution for this practice. The refugees struggle to maintain their dignity and start again in new countries that won't accept them or give them permission to remain or work there. The futility of their efforts, their varying abilities to adjust to this new world of rumor and chance, and the kindnesses and evil they experience along the way from their fellow human beings tell an extraordinary tale. Sadly, it does not appear that the world has changed, since these conditions continue to this day.

Imagine EU refugee policy disintegrates with no one willing to take off some burden from Italy, Greece and Spain - they would simply start pushing refugees across border, forcing them to cross illegally, and push them back if they are caught and returned by the other country, putting in jail for months if caught again - that all happed before, enter the Europe of late 30s, enter this brilliant novel, on a topic relevant to the present day

A good read if you like period history & detest facism.The contents are the reason why we need a united Europe; read it you'll understand me