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Lukas Zbinden leans on the arm of Kâzim, as they walk slowly down the stairway towards the door of his old people's home. Step by step, the irrepressible Lukas recounts the life he shared with his wife Emilie and his son. She loved to walk in the countryside; he loved towns and meeting strangers. Different in so many ways, what was the secret of their life-long love? And why is it now so hard for him to talk to his son?
Gradually we get to know a man with a twinkle in his eye and learn the captivating story of this man, his late wife, their son and the many people he has met along the way. Zbinden's Progress is heart-rending, heart-warming and hilarious. --- Winner of the Bern Literature Prize 2010
Gradually we get to know a man with a twinkle in his eye and learn the captivating story of this man, his late wife, their son and the many people he has met along the way. Zbinden's Progress is heart-rending, heart-warming and hilarious. --- Winner of the Bern Literature Prize 2010
- GenresFiction
231 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2010
2 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 5, 2014
An amazing short novel about the life of an 84 year old retired Swiss teacher. Very much in the how to live one's life vein of writing. For those of you who like Thoreau's Walking, this will be a wonderful reading.
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April 14, 2016Charm ... birds ... trees ... & all that. :)
May 16, 2018
Ich traf also Lukas Zbinden. Einen wunderbaren älteren Herrn von 87 Jahren, der in einem Schweizer Seniorenheim lebt und dessen Leidenschaft das Spazierengehen ist (und auch das Erzählen). An seiner Seite befindet sich der neue Zivildienstleistende Kâzim und dieser bekommt praktisch die gesamte Lebensgeschichte von Herrn Lukas Zbinden zu hören und alle Gründe, die für das Spazierengehen sprechen, sowie alle Einsichten über das Leben, die man im Grunde, so Zbinden, nur haben kann, wenn man spazieren geht. Nebenbei stellt er Kâzim die anderen Bewohner, denen man auf den Treppen, dem Hof und den Gängen des Heims beim Rundgang begegnet, vor und erzählt ihm die Liebesgeschichte mit seiner Frau Emilie, die ihn so viele Jahre auf seinen Spaziergängen und im Leben begleitet hat.
"Meine Frau war eine durch und durch intuitive Spaziergängerin. Sie können sich keine nervenaufreibendere Tätigkeit vorstellen, als jene, die Begleitung einer intuitiven Spaziergängerin zu sein."
Die Geschichte ist wunderschön, so dass einem manchmal fast die Tränen kommen.
Den Rest meiner Besprechung findet Ihr unter : http://lobedentag.blogspot.de/2018/05...
"Meine Frau war eine durch und durch intuitive Spaziergängerin. Sie können sich keine nervenaufreibendere Tätigkeit vorstellen, als jene, die Begleitung einer intuitiven Spaziergängerin zu sein."
Die Geschichte ist wunderschön, so dass einem manchmal fast die Tränen kommen.
Den Rest meiner Besprechung findet Ihr unter : http://lobedentag.blogspot.de/2018/05...
September 16, 2022
Berührende Geschichte eines alten Mannes, der aus seinem Leben erzählt und sehr oft auf das Thema Spaziergänge zurückkommt (vielleicht etwas zu oft, egal wie gerne man selbst spaziert) - regt aber trotzdem zum Nachdenken und zu Dankbarkeit an
October 1, 2013
In Simon’s beautifully written novel, eighty-seven-year old Lukas Zbinden takes us on a journey. Not only down from the top floor to the ground floor of the retirement home where he is resident, but also on a journey through his own life.
On this step-by-step descent, accompanied by his silent carer, Kazim, we discover walking has always been crucial to Lukas, his reason for being. It is only through walking that a person can manage to escape from a jaded life. For this reason, Lukas has ignored the convenience of the retirement home’s lift as he tells his tale.
It is through his walk – both literal and metaphorical – that we encounter the many quirky characters occupying the retirement home each with their own heart-felt, idiosyncratic stories to tell. But on the wider journey, we also learn the ups and downs of Lukas’s joyous marriage to the wonderful Emilie, the difficulties he has always had communicating with his son, the skills and craft necessary to enjoy a good walk.
For an author of just forty years of age, Simon’s novel shows remarkable insight, wisdom, humour and understanding of the human condition, especially the lives of the elderly. When one finishes this book, it is hard not to want to pick up the phone immediately to speak to an aged loved one.
{first written for the Book Trust 6th December 2012}
On this step-by-step descent, accompanied by his silent carer, Kazim, we discover walking has always been crucial to Lukas, his reason for being. It is only through walking that a person can manage to escape from a jaded life. For this reason, Lukas has ignored the convenience of the retirement home’s lift as he tells his tale.
It is through his walk – both literal and metaphorical – that we encounter the many quirky characters occupying the retirement home each with their own heart-felt, idiosyncratic stories to tell. But on the wider journey, we also learn the ups and downs of Lukas’s joyous marriage to the wonderful Emilie, the difficulties he has always had communicating with his son, the skills and craft necessary to enjoy a good walk.
For an author of just forty years of age, Simon’s novel shows remarkable insight, wisdom, humour and understanding of the human condition, especially the lives of the elderly. When one finishes this book, it is hard not to want to pick up the phone immediately to speak to an aged loved one.
{first written for the Book Trust 6th December 2012}
December 4, 2013
*Goodreads Giveaway Winner*
A sweet first-person reminiscence, this brief novel allows Zbinden to reflect on his marriage and role as a parent to an aide in the assisted living home where he resides.
Zbinden is a gregarious man whose young life was devoted to an interminable search for understanding, most of it undertaken on foot in the towns around his Switzerland home. Those devotional walks led him to Emilie, a young woman whose worn boots launched him into eternal love--though for Emilie, their walks seemed more about communing with nature.
Zbinden sees everything, and helps his audience gain the same insight into the world around them, into its shadows and its future. He expresses regret that his interests were never his son's, and that their lack of mutual understanding led to an imperfect relationship, though, across the course of the novel, he's able to see his way toward building a bridge.
Written with tactile, often beautiful prose, "Zbinden's Progress" proves to be a poignant and enjoyable soliloquy.
A sweet first-person reminiscence, this brief novel allows Zbinden to reflect on his marriage and role as a parent to an aide in the assisted living home where he resides.
Zbinden is a gregarious man whose young life was devoted to an interminable search for understanding, most of it undertaken on foot in the towns around his Switzerland home. Those devotional walks led him to Emilie, a young woman whose worn boots launched him into eternal love--though for Emilie, their walks seemed more about communing with nature.
Zbinden sees everything, and helps his audience gain the same insight into the world around them, into its shadows and its future. He expresses regret that his interests were never his son's, and that their lack of mutual understanding led to an imperfect relationship, though, across the course of the novel, he's able to see his way toward building a bridge.
Written with tactile, often beautiful prose, "Zbinden's Progress" proves to be a poignant and enjoyable soliloquy.
October 1, 2013
Lukas Zbinden takes the reader with him on his journey - slowly down three flights of his nursing home's stairs on the arm of his Turkish carer Kazim. It doesn't sound like much of a plot but on the way Zbinden reveals his philosophy and his life story, we also meet the other residents of the home and through Zbinden's eyes these are funny, sometimes sad protrials. He unpicks the love hate relationship he has with his only child, a son and the tender, perfect love of his late wife - also sometimes very funny. This is a perfect book, taking the reader at walking pace through an ordinary life made extraordinary in the telling. A small book that took longer to read than expected because of its richness.
July 21, 2015
One of my "quiet" books--one that has someone speaking through the entire book! It is a lovely book about an elderly widower who goes for a walk with his new "carer" at the facility where he lives. He loves to walk and the book is filled with his feelings about walking and his memories of his beloved wife. The entire book is one long monologue, with interruptions for brief exchanges with other people.
I particularly liked his narrative of the time his wife slapped him (an unheard-of event) for speaking too much and so he went off on a "binge" of quiet. What happened in school--he's a teacher--when he ceases talking was amusing.
I particularly liked his narrative of the time his wife slapped him (an unheard-of event) for speaking too much and so he went off on a "binge" of quiet. What happened in school--he's a teacher--when he ceases talking was amusing.
January 29, 2014
I won this book from Goodreads.
Zbinden is now an old man in a retirement home. Always loving to walk, he now requires a caregiver to walk with him.
Kazim, the minder, slowly hears the story of Emilie, his dear wife, and their walks and joy of life.
Zbinden's observations, friendliness, wise instructions and humor will capture you.
This is a gentle book. It is a short book & will lift your spirits as it lifted mine.
Zbinden is now an old man in a retirement home. Always loving to walk, he now requires a caregiver to walk with him.
Kazim, the minder, slowly hears the story of Emilie, his dear wife, and their walks and joy of life.
Zbinden's observations, friendliness, wise instructions and humor will capture you.
This is a gentle book. It is a short book & will lift your spirits as it lifted mine.
January 1, 2017
Zbinden's Progress by Christoph Simon
Set in an old folk's home in Switzerland, Lukas Zbinden walks with the aid of a new caregiver, Kazim. As they slowly walk down the stairway, Zbinden tells Kazim of his like as a teacher, as a husband to his now deceased wife, and as a father to his son, Markus. It is at times touching and beautiful and at others clever and witty. It is a quiet book of one man's walk on life's journey.
Set in an old folk's home in Switzerland, Lukas Zbinden walks with the aid of a new caregiver, Kazim. As they slowly walk down the stairway, Zbinden tells Kazim of his like as a teacher, as a husband to his now deceased wife, and as a father to his son, Markus. It is at times touching and beautiful and at others clever and witty. It is a quiet book of one man's walk on life's journey.
July 7, 2012
I didn't think this was a great book, although it did make me cry. Three stars might seem too low given what I've just said, but I believe the author would be just fine with that.
November 17, 2012
Funny, sad, very human.
January 9, 2013
Utterly charming. When you need a reminder that life is simple and good, read this book.
September 6, 2014
A charming and utterly heart-warming story.
October 15, 2015
A delightful, but bittersweet exploration of life, love, family, loss and growing old set within the framework of a discussion about the joy of walking.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews