Cititorul

Cititorul tells of an unusual love affair in postwar Germany. Michael Berg is a teenage boy. His father teaches philosophy at a university. The father was shunned because he taught thinkers who went against Nazi ideas.

Michael falls for Hanna Schmitz, a tram conductor. She is twenty years older than he is. Hanna will give up almost anything to hide a secret that shames her.

Their bond begins as Michael's first sexual experience. It grows into something larger. Through it, the novel looks at how a whole nation faces its political past. Later, Hanna stands trial for what she did as a guard. She worked at a camp for women near Kraków. A court finds her guilty. Her case shapes how Michael comes to feel guilt and responsibility. History stops being distant and becomes part of his own life.

Bernhard Schlink wrote the novel in German. This Romanian edition uses a translation by Ana Mureșanu. It is a revised second edition. It ends with an afterword by Dumitru Radu Popa.

The book became a bestseller around the world. It appeared in close to 40 countries and won major literary prizes. Stephen Daldry directed a film version, with Anthony Minghella as producer. Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet played the lead roles. The film earned five Oscar nominations and five BAFTA nominations. It also won a Golden Globe.