Awarded with Peter-Rosegger-Preis as outstanding debut
Shortlist Literaturpreis Fulda
A whole life in stages – how can you reconcile major diplomatic world politics, including new, burgeoning or never-ending crises, with family and private life?
Peter, born in 1929, lives a classic diplomat’s life: he has to change his place of residence regularly, travel the world and negotiate solutions in various political offices, pull strings in the background, be tactful in the foreground and reconcile family and career. In short, he has to make many compromises.
In his debut novel, Florian Dietmaier traces in stages a tireless life of diplomacy and family with all its ups and downs, in which not all needs were met. Meticulously researched, The Compromises sheds light on lesser-known episodes in world history between 1960 and 2020, focusing on small and micro-states, showing their importance in the hustle and bustle of the big political stage and the changing times.
»In his very first book, Dietmaier masterfully solves one of the most difficult tasks known to fiction, the connection between the private and the global political level.«
(from the jury statement Peter-Rosegger-Preis)
»In his first novel, which is well worth reading, Florian Dietmaier achieves a rare combination of extensively researched worldliness and an inner perspective that is reminiscent of his compatriot Arno Geiger in its psychological accuracy. In the end, he has covered an entire life and almost an entire century in just 150 pages.« (Julia Schröder, Deutschlandfunk)
»The way Florian Dietmaier, born in 1985, brings a diplomat‘s life from 1960 to the present days to life is really great. What a lot of research he must have done! A contemporary historical document written in novel form – fantastic!« (filmsoundmedia.at)