The Living Statue: A Legend.

Grass, Günter, 1927-2015; Statues; Fish as food

"The Living Statue: A Legend" is a fiction book written by Günter Grass and translated from German by Michael Hofmann. Published in 2003, the book serves as an allegory that reflects the rising nationalism and discontent with globalization during that era. The unnamed narrator, a West German author, recalls a visit to a cathedral in East Germany in the late 1980s, where he reflects on the Nazi era's influence on the medieval statues depicted in the cathedral. In a fantastical twist, the narrator invites the sculptures' subjects to lunch, leading to a strange and delightful episode. The story follows the narrator's fascination with a living statue busker made up as Ute, culminating in a drastic act in modern-day Frankfurt. The book offers a timeless quality and showcases Grass's mastery as a writer. [Extracted from the article]