Geschwister Tanner (The Tanner Siblings) follows Simon, the youngest of five, as he floats through early 1900s Switzerland. He's not lost; he's deliberately avoiding being found by a conventional life. The plot is simple: Simon tries a job, finds it suffocating, quits, and talks brilliantly about it with his siblings or during long, thoughtful walks. His brothers and sisters are settled—an artist, a businessman—and they worry about him. But Simon isn't failing. He's conducting a different kind of life experiment, one where observation and feeling matter more than achievement.

Why You Should Read It

This book caught me off guard. At first, Simon seems like a charming slacker. But Walser's writing—full of gentle irony and sudden, breathtaking observations—shows us the depth of his choice. It's a defense of daydreaming, of the inner life. In a world that screams 'hustle,' Simon's refusal is radical. His conversations with his siblings are wonderfully real, full of love, frustration, and misunderstanding. You'll recognize these family dynamics instantly. It’s less a story about what happens, and more about how it feels to be alive and out of step.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone who loves character studies over plot, or fans of gentle, philosophical writers like Kafka (who adored Walser) or W.G. Sebald. It’s not a breezy beach read, but a slow, rewarding companion. If you enjoy getting inside a unique mind and pondering the big questions of work, freedom, and happiness while following someone on a very quiet walk, this forgotten classic is waiting for you.