The Promised Land

Name: The Promised Land
ISBN: 9787208144125

Erich Maria Remarque / 丁娜Shanghai People's Publishing House · ChinaNov 2017

4.2

Word count: 237K words
Chapters: 23
ISBN: 9787208144125

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Summary

In 1940s New York, a group of people who fled Europe to escape Nazi persecution have survived manhunts, endured the many hardships of the exile's "via dolorosa," and come through near-death ordeals to reach the "promised land" of America and begin new lives. Yet the shadow of fear lingers, and their former hopes for the future seem like futile wishes. The protagonist, Ludwig Sommer, is German; his father died under Nazi political persecution, and he himself was forced into years of exile in Europe. Sommer once apprenticed under a Jewish antique dealer in Paris; after the dealer's death, he abandoned his original identity, took over the dealer's passport, and eventually arrived in New York by ship. But the memory of his father's murder is too deep, and the fear of the escape route has become an instinctive reaction; fitting into a new life is not easy...

Editor's review

The Promised Land is the posthumously published final work of the German writer Erich Maria Remarque, and it holds special literary and historical value. The book continues Remarque's characteristic humanitarian concern and restrained narrative style. Set in 1940s New York, it depicts through the perspective of the exiled writer Ludwig Sommer the living conditions and inner struggles of refugees during the Second World War with fine psychological detail. Remarque won worldwide fame with All Quiet on the Western Front, and his works consistently address themes of war, exile, and the alienation of human nature. In The Promised Land, he does not depict battlefields directly but turns his lens on individuals who escaped the fighting yet continue to endure a spiritual exile in a land of peace. The bustle and clamor of New York stand in sharp contrast to the protagonist's inner detachment and solitude: the material "promised land" brings no spiritual belonging, and this profound sense of alienation is the book's central tension. Remarque's touch is cool and restrained yet emotionally powerful; through precise observation of everyday detail and deep analysis of psychological activity, he shows how exiles struggle between traumatic memory and adaptation to a new environment. The book is not only an outstanding example of exile literature but also a profound inquiry into such enduring questions as "home" and "identity." For contemporary readers, in an age of globalization and mass migration, its exploration of cultural conflict, identity, and spiritual belonging remains powerfully relevant.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in twentieth-century exile literature and the history of the Second World War
Literature lovers who enjoy Remarque's work and want to understand the full range of his writing
Readers concerned with migration, identity, and cultural conflict
Readers who appreciate calm, finely observed narrative with psychological depth

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking light entertainment or fast-paced stories with strong plots
Readers with little patience for historical background and psychological portrayal

Reading tips

Reading Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front first is recommended, as it helps clarify the trajectory of his writing and his central concerns.
While reading, pay attention to the depiction of New York's urban landscape and how it serves as a reflection and externalization of the protagonist's inner state.
The book can be read in comparison with other representative works of exile literature, such as Nabokov's Pnin or Kundera's Ignorance, to appreciate how different writers handle similar material.

About the publisher

Shanghai People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1951

Shanghai People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher whose list focuses on academic monographs and general-interest titles in philosophy, social sciences, politics and law, economics and management, and history. Among its books are Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties History in the Chinese Dynastic History series; The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy in foreign literature; the Wenjing Classical Translation Illustrated Edition of The Complete Greek Tragedies of Euripides; and works of social theory such as Max Weber's Economy and Society and Dialectic of Enlightenment: Philosophical Fragments. Its authors include Wang Zhongluo, J.R.R. Tolkien, Luo Niansheng, and Zhou Zuoren.

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附录：《应许之地》手稿笔记摘要

FAQ

How is The Promised Land related to Remarque's most famous work, All Quiet on the Western Front?

The two share a continuous theme: both are concerned with the trauma of war and its far-reaching effects. All Quiet on the Western Front focuses on soldiers' wartime experience at the front, while The Promised Land explores how exiles, after the war has ended, go on living abroad with their trauma—another kind of deep inquiry into war's consequences.

What is the narrative pace of this book?

The narrative pace is relatively slow. It does not rely on dramatic plot turns but emphasizes the unfolding of the characters' inner world, the evocation of atmosphere, and deep analysis of the exile condition; readers need to immerse themselves quietly.

Does the title "The Promised Land" carry any special meaning?

"The Promised Land" originally refers to Canaan, the land God promised the Jews in the Bible, and symbolizes hope and belonging. In this book, New York is for the exiles a material refuge and a land of hope, yet spiritually they find it hard truly to arrive in and become part of this "promised land." The title thus forms a metaphor full of irony and tragedy.

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About the author

Erich Maria Remarque Author · German-American · 1898–1970

Erich Maria Remarque was a German-born American novelist, born Erich Paul Remark in 1898 in Osnabrück, Germany. Conscripted into the German army at eighteen during World War I, he was wounded several times—an experience that left a deep mark on his later writing. In 1929 he published All Quiet on the Western Front, which, in a cool, sharp-edged style, portrays the disillusionment and trauma of a generation in the trenches and won worldwide attention. Because of his outspoken anti-war stance, his books were burned by the Nazis and he was stripped of his citizenship. He went into exile in the United States in 1939, became a naturalized citizen in 1947, later settled in Switzerland, and died on September 25, 1970. His works focus largely on war and exile, written in a restrained, realistic style that combines cold irony with deep compassion.

丁娜 Author

Ding Na is a Chinese author engaged in the translation and introduction of foreign literature. Public information about her is limited, and no clear record of her dates, nationality, or educational background is available. Judging from the three works held in the collection, her work centers on the German writer Erich Maria Remarque, including the ten-volume Remarque in Wenjing, the six-volume Classic Works of Remarque, and The Promised Land. These titles are classified as foreign literature, indicating that she participates in the introduction and dissemination of German-language literature mainly through translation or compilation. Remarque's works often draw on war and exile, written in a restrained and sober style and focused on the fate of ordinary people in turbulent times. Ding Na's translations help Chinese readers gain systematic access to this author's representative works and offer a relatively concentrated edition for reading them.