The Possibility of Happiness

'The book of the hour.'

-- Ronald Düker

'Rabe’s debut is powerful. . . . while it says 'novel' on the cover, The Possibility of Happiness is primarily an analysis of familial structures, as they sometimes were in the GDR, and a critique of the system.'

-- Simone Schmollack

‘Anne Rabe allows us to experience the pain of coming to terms with the past (and) offers an answer to the question of how to break the cycle of violence: by having the courage to ask questions.’ 

'The Possibility of Happiness explains why East Germany’s history of violence since reunification has differed from West Germany’s. ... Anne Rabe postulates a range of causes, which she vividly illustrates through Stine’s family history, something a sociological study could not achieve…'

-- Andreas Platthaus

'Anne Rabe has written an intriguing novel about experiences of violence in the GDR and how they are passed down through generations. .... It explores the overt and covert brutalities within families and the state, questioning their continued existence…'

'The Possibility of Happiness intertwines memoir, family research and essay. Anne Rabe skilfully interweaves the personal aspects of family with social analysis. A powerful and moving work that transforms the fragmentation of a traumatised self into a literary form.'

'It’s astonishing what this montage of research, literary quotes, dreams and memories, and the interplay of internal and external dialogue, brings into focus. Anne Rabe’s research transcends mere erudition; the emerging picture fractures into ever more minute pieces, and within this fragmentation lies its profound veracity.’

-- Stefan Ki