Where Do We Go from Here?
Published by Diogenes as Was machen wir jetzt?
Original Title: Was machen wir jetzt?
In his mid-forties, Fred Kaufmann has become what he never wanted to be: instead of being in films, he now manages the German branch of an American fast-food chain, instead of jeans, leather jacket and El Fatah scarves, he now wears Calvin Klein underwear and Boss suits, and the cowboy boots were first changed for Nike sports shoes and finally for hand-sewn English lace-ups. He is professionally successful, has at last enough money – but he is not happy. He is afraid of losing his family. He and his wife have been in a marital crisis for some time, which Claudia has tried to heal by turning to Buddhism – while he has tried it with an extra-marital affair. His seventeen year-old daughter Franka has fallen in love with a Tibetan lama, and wants to emigrate to India with him. As modern parents, Claudia and Fred cannot forbid it, but have decided to let Franka spend a few weeks in a Buddhist monastery in Southern France together with the man she worships. They trust – from their own experience – more in the disillusioning effect of everyday life rather than prohibition. Fred travels together with Franka accompanied by the worst possible feelings. The trip and the stay in the monastery, however, brings father and daughter closer together than ever before. For Fred, this journey on which he started so unwillingly becomes above all a journey to himself.
Cinema, Contemporary Literature
304 pages
1999

978-3-257-06227-4
Doris
Dörrie

Doris Dörrie, born in Hannover, studied acting and theatre in California and in New York, but then decided to direct instead, attending film school in Munich. Parallel to her film career (including Men, Straight to the Heart, Cherry Blossoms – Hanami) she has published short stories and novels (including The Blue Dress), a book about writing (Living, Writing, Breathing), auto fictional texts (including The Heroine's Journey) and children's books. She lives in Munich.

Photo: © Mathias Bothor / laif

Quotes

Nele Hempel
World Literature today, Oklahoma
»Doris Dörrie's debut novel is narrated with ease. It is full of humor and intelligence.«