Reading & Discussion: Alex Capus - Cross-Country
A masterful story! An inn on the German-Swiss border 100 years ago: Arnold and Betty live there with their daughter. When she falls in love with a smuggler in 1933, tragedy ensues.
Alex Capus is a master at turning historical material into great novels.
A hundred years ago, in a Swiss village on the border with Germany, a young innkeeper named Arnold runs an inn. Colorful characters and shadowy figures cross the border; some even come at night and cut across the fields. The village pranksters gather at the regulars’ table. One day, a stranger on horseback approaches through the snow. Her name is Betty. Arnold marries her, and they have eight children together. Life goes on as usual until, in 1933, the eldest daughter, Clara, falls in love with a smuggler named Hermann. He antagonizes the authorities on both sides of the border. A drama unfolds—and the village rises up against a great power.
Alex Capus was born in Normandy and now lives in Olten. He studied history, philosophy, and ethnology in Basel. He initially worked as a journalist for various daily newspapers. Starting in 1994, he published numerous novels, feature articles, and short stories. Among his most successful novels are “Léon and Louise,” “Königskinder,” “Life Is Good,” and “The Little House on the Sunny Slope.” Time and again, he succeeds in bringing history to life in an aesthetic and moving way. His literary work has been honored with numerous awards, including the Solothurn Art Prize.
