A contemporary portrait of society and a panorama of a German century. A man, his wife(s), his children, his family, his work, his friends. His city. His time. Karlmann Renn is a modern Everyman caught between ridicule and triumph, and his daily life reflects the everyday life of our era. The novel tells of a father's love and concern, of self-assertion in his career, of confronting childhood and family, the depths of friendship, the temptations of escape, and the intrusion of death. It is the story of the arduous process of maturation and the trials faced by Karlmann Renn, who must navigate his life without the comforts of religion, art, and philosophy. Michael Kleeberg shapes his world with diverse voices, sounds, and rhythms, through the multiple perspectives of his storytelling. Comedy and tragedy, laconic wit and tenderness.