Aladdin's Problem (German: Aladins Problem) is a 1983 novella by the German writer Ernst Jünger. It tells the story of an East German former army officer who battles with the problem that man is alone in the world. An English translation by Hilary Barr was published in 1992.

Aladdin's Problem
First edition
AuthorErnst Jünger
Original titleAladins Problem
TranslatorHilary Barr
LanguageGerman
PublisherKlett-Cotta
Publication date
1983
Publication placeWest Germany
Published in English
1 December 1992
Pages121
ISBN9783608952063

Reception

edit

Philip Brantingham wrote in the Chicago Tribune: "As a narrative, the novel is a failure; not much happens and the characters are flat. But as an enquiry it succeeds by posing problems about the future of the individual in a society dominated by technocrats."[1] Publishers Weekly described the book as an "elegant allegorical novel" and wrote: "Lucid sentences and a finely tuned plot balance a rigorous agenda concerned with nothing less than the mysteries and paradoxes of material existence."[2]

References

edit
  1. ^ Brantingham, Philip (1983-08-01). "Two Tales From Ernst Junger, Controversial Nonagenarian". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2017-01-07.
  2. ^ "Fiction Book Review: Aladdin's Problem by Ernst Junger". Publishers Weekly. 1992-11-30. Retrieved 2017-01-07.