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?

11 comments:

Unknown said...

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.

JRSM said...

Aha! A very cunning explanmation! I suspect you're right.

Robert said...

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...

Katherine Hepworth said...

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...

Ben said...

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!"

Brian Busby said...

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.

JRSM said...

Robert: Aussies misinterpreting Ossis is sadly all too believable.

I'm glad everyone's as puzzled as me. It's a great book, though.

Anonymous said...

I think you'll find it's the author with a touch of lippy! Google image search Anna Funder...

eViL pOp TaRt said...

The Stasi might use prostitutes or female agents for entrapment purposes, hence the cover.

JRSM said...

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...

Ina Guddle said...

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.