Gerold Späth burst upon the German language literary scene in 1970 with his critically acclaimed first novel, Unschlecht: Roman (translated as A Prelude to the Long Happy Life of Maximilian Goodman , 1975). At a time when the overpoliticization of European literature had raised doubts about the very future of fiction, Späth's baroque narrative signaled the emergence of a young Swiss author who could successfully chart his own course; succeeding works corroborate his ability to write independently of contemporary trends or fads. Frequent laudations in the press, numerous literary prizes and awards, and the acquisition of a major West German publisher--S. Fischer of Frankfurt am Main--attest to Späth's critical success. His acceptance as a popular writer has been hampered by the rambling nature of his prose, the Swiss regionalism of his works, and the intimidating size of his novels (which average well over four hundred...