Wednesday, 26 October 2011
WTF GDR?
I just readAnna Funder's most excellent Stasiland, only 9 years after everybody else. But for the life of me I cannot make sense of the cover of the Australian (and first) edition. The book is about life under the all-encompassing surveillance of the East German secret police and their vast network of informers. The cover is a cold-looking woman wearing a glittery top. I don't know what it is meant to represent, and it's really bugging me. Does anyone have any ideas?
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11 comments:
I have not read this book, though it sounds like something I'd enjoy. But I think the cover image represents the belief that a picture of a hot looking young woman will sell a book about life in East Germany.
Aha! A very cunning explanmation! I suspect you're right.
I've never heard of this author and I also do not understand this cover. After all, I am from East-Germany. It's interesting what kind of image the Australian create about us »Ossis«, but even colorful...
Perhaps she is supposed to be an East German prostitute-droid reporting to the East German police. Her stare is a little mechanical, her top is a little cheap communist quality, and her make-up is so, well...
Sadly I suspect the explanation is probably something along the lines of;
"Shit, forgot about that artwork deadline. Female author? Kind of a spy thing? Ok, bang, there ya go!"
Not knowing the book, my first impression had it as a novel set in a nightclub called 'Stasiland'. But what do I know? Going by the picture I can say with certainty that Stasiland's bouncer would have never let me in.
Robert: Aussies misinterpreting Ossis is sadly all too believable.
I'm glad everyone's as puzzled as me. It's a great book, though.
I think you'll find it's the author with a touch of lippy! Google image search Anna Funder...
The Stasi might use prostitutes or female agents for entrapment purposes, hence the cover.
Anon, it's not Funder, though--the facial features aren't quite right. Good guess, though.
Pop Tart, that could be an explanation--still an odd image, though...
I've just read this too. Brilliant book. The cover I had was much more fitting (black and white, young woman with a man lurking behind). Do not understand the purpose of the cover you had.
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