The Spectacle Salesman's Family

** ‘[A] powerful novel … It tells the story of a Jewish family in post-WWII Germany from the point of view of the generation born after the war; every scene is perfectly controlled, every character masterfully drawn - at once sharply delineated yet psychologically complex - DER SPEIGEL

** It’s an intimate, rambling story, rich in detail, character and tradition. The tremors and hidden anxieties of adolescence are keenly drawn. - GUARDIAN

** ‘In her warm and touching debut novel, Viola Roggenkamp draws us into a family both suffocating and adorable… Roggenkamp’s characters are well drawn; the family dynamic amusingly conveyed. - INDEPENDENT

** ‘Roggenkamp’s is a lovely narrative, strong in Jewish customs and the political background of the time - FT

Viola Roggenkamp was the publisher of DIE ZEIT for three decades. This is her debut novel, based on her experiences of growing up half-Jewish in post-war Germany. She has lived in Asia and Israel for many years and now lives in Germany.

Roggenkamp has also written a non-fiction book TU MIR EINE LIEBE. MEINE MAMME (2002).