The World's Literature in Europe discussion

Child of All Nations by Irmgard Keun, translated by Michael Hofmann, begins about 1936 in Ostende and Brussels, Belgium. Ten-year-old Kully narrates the family's life since leaving Germany, where her father wrote books and articles. Now, he goes away intermittently to Prague, Budapest, and elsewhere to earn money for their hotel, restaurant, and taxi expenses, borrowing from the porter and leaving the wife Annie and daughter Kully as, she says, collateral for the unpaid bills. The establishments are peeved at times but tolerant and welcome this extravagant, likable man.