A thriller and sober description of the schizophrenic escape from reality. The book on which two brilliant careers were based, those of Wim Wenders and Peter Handke.

Bloch, a former famous goalkeeper, concludes one morning on his way to work at a factory that he has been fired. He begins to wander the streets of Vienna where everything causes him discomfort. He goes to the cinema, strikes up a conversation with the cashier; they meet again later and end up in a hotel. The next day, without apparent reason, he strangles her. He hurriedly leaves the city and ends up in a small village in southern Austria where a mute student has disappeared.

With a cinematic rhythm, with elements of a detective novel that pique the reader's interest and references to Kafka, the "enfant terrible of European literature" records the psychological journey of the perpetrator, his disturbed relationship with reality, the schism between consciousness and action.

The book was published in 1970, immediately became a bestseller, made Handke known worldwide, and prompted Wenders to make his first feature film. With the success of its cinematic adaptation, Handke's long-term collaboration with Wenders began, leading to films such as Wrong Move, The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez, and Wings of Desire.

A classic work in many respects, as emphasized by W.G. Sebald, which offers multiple readings, as noted by its translator Al. Issaris, as it touches on a wide range of topics and provides a unique reading pleasure.