The Cult of Sebald

This chapter challenges common misconceptions about Sebald, including the assumption that he wrote in English and that Austerlitz was the final work published in his lifetime. It goes on to discuss his misplaced label as a ‘Holocaust author’ and touches on the disappointing film adaptation of The Rings of Saturn. It also addresses controversies surrounding Sebald’s writing: how he deliberately situated himself as an academic outsider, was criticised by those who disliked his confrontation of German history, and his general animosity towards established champions of post-war literature.