Just finished this book in around 24 hours. It is possibly the best book I've read this year. I am stunned by the depth and breadth of emotion to be found in these pages, and I've been thinking of Simon Wiesenthal, the Nazi hunter, who died earlier this week.

Schlink examines the relationship between two generations: the children of Germans who were extant during the Third Reich. Issues of betrayal, responsibility and humanity are all here and the author braves out the story where others may fear to tread.

Notions of culture and literature are also explored - it is the opposite of the last book I read: 'America' by Joe Queenan, which light-heartedly looks at the merit of American 'low-brow' culture.

Gosh - when I compare what the next generation of Germans had to endure after 1945 to what my parents' generation had to contend with in the UK it looks as though we had a walk in the park (even with rationing!)

I'll be recommending this to friends and family for many years to come. In my mind's eye it will sit with Gregor Von Rizzori's 'Memoirs of an Anti-Semite' as a monumental tome that allows non-Germans to understand that great nation a little better

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Edited to add: eight years later, and I don't think of this as one of my alltime faves. Perhaps I should re-read it. But it's being released now, so that's unlikely. Anyways, hope the next reader enjoys it.

Part of toddler group World Book Day Bookswap.

On a table in the foyer.