The Berlin Exchange

Product Information

Kurt nodded. “Well, if you call it seeing. A flash and then it’s over. You understand I had to protect Martin, get him out of there, so I wasn’t noticing much. What, in particular?” On second thought, maybe you’ll fit right in. With the Krauts. They say everybody’s got an ear out over there.” She hesitated for a moment, drawing on her cigarette. “You want to know? All right. We should never lie to each other, don’t you agree?”

In chapter 5, Martin is with Peter for a photoshoot for an East German television show, Die Familie Schmidt, and Peter mentions that Kurt only allows photographs of the new plazas, free of damage from the war, otherwise “everybody thinks East Berlin is all like that.” How does Kurt’s vision of East Berlin compare with the one you had at the beginning of the novel? Good. So, first come to dinner. See Peter. You want to see your old friend Schell? Of course. See anybody you like. Well, maybe not Ulbricht. Nobody sees him. Except Frau Ulbricht.” He smiled, an easy joke, patching things over. “But there’s a right time.” He moved his hand to Martin’s chest, a faint pat. “Let me arrange things.” The hotel was brand-new, located on its own plaza behind the Kino International, a theater with a swooshing curve to its roof, as if it had been streamlined during the trip from Miami. The hotel also had a tropical look, its front faced with blue glazed tiles, like a beach resort. Inside, the lobby furniture was Scandinavian modern, dotted with plants in pots. Anywhere.

Need Help?

Filled with intriguing characters, atmospheric detail, and plenty of action Kanon’s latest espionage thriller is one you won’t soon forget. They were speeding past the Charité grounds, nurses and students filling the street. Sabine hadn’t been a medical student, just a friend of Georg’s brother, a girl at a party. No, just a word.” A glance to the lobby. “There he goes. I was afraid— But that was good, everybody in the field. He doesn’t have to know you’re a friend of Schell’s.” In chapter 5, Martin is with Peter for a photoshoot for an East German television show, Die Familie Schmidt, and Peter mentions that Kurt only allows photographs of the new plazas, free of damage from the war, otherwise "everybody thinks East Berlin is all like that." How does Kurt's vision of East Berlin compare with the one you had at the beginning of the novel?

Kurt frequently brings Martin along with him when he works, allowing Martin to see the illicit dealings that make his new life in East Berlin possible. Why does Kurt want Martin to see what he does, especially given the recurring mantra, “There is no crime in the DDR”? What does it reveal about Kurt’s character? Superb choices by the author of using looks for worded language here too. That was SO real as it was lived. Joseph Kanon truly can write reality. He absolutely does not suffer fools.The guards rushed over to the ambulance, yanking open the door, guns on the driver, slumped forward over the wheel. There were no forms to fill out at the desk, everything having been arranged by Kurt and the manager. The man who gave us the bomb. That’s what they used to say in Neues Deutschland. You know you’ll have to give them an interview. It’s not so usual these days, coming east.” Well, the Americans. It’s a long time and maybe they don’t care so much anymore. And I made the point that your parole would come soon. After that, they don’t have you to trade, so why not make a deal now? Get something for you.”

A faint nod. “Peter. He’s always known you were his father. We made sure of that. So he’s curious. He thinks you’re a socialist hero.” The setting is 1963. WWII is over, the Cold War is in full effect. Martin is an American who worked on the Manhattan Project and spied for the Russians during WWII. He spent the past 15 years in jail for, you know, spying. He was taken out of jail and sent to East Berlin, where his ex-wife and son are living. Everybody. Workers. Of course, in the beginning, a privilege. Hot water, central heating, these things were luxuries in those days. But now everywhere. We live not far from here. In Weberwiese. You’ll see later.” Now,” McGregor said, beginning to walk. “Not too fast. We want to be there at the same time. When you get to the barrier, they’ll raise it and you keep going. The others will pass you coming out. So nobody’s first. Nobody pulls anything.” The West Germans will want him. There is no East Germany to them. Only German citizens, all of us. So by this logic, we’re putting their citizens in jail. They have a responsibility to get them out.”

Table of Contents

But of course she had been, even then, something he would have known if he’d been listening, too busy hearing the rush of blood in his ears, the throaty voice. At the beginning, when he believed everything she said. Thoroughly absorbing, a thoughtful and subtle evocation of a place and era, with occasional invigorating bursts of violence. . . . when [Kanon's] at his best you get the rare sense of a writer whose style, plot and characters have been perfectly aligned to convey his vision of the world." — Sunday Telegraph (UK) You may also opt to downgrade to Standard Digital, a robust journalistic offering that fulfils many user’s needs. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here. No, he needs to be a child. That’s the point, you understand. A family show. Peter does something he shouldn’t, some mischief, and then his father teaches him a lesson. How a good socialist behaves. It wouldn’t work if he were older.” Kurt held up his hand. “And if it were up to me, you’d have it. But you know the DFF, they control everything. Every move.”