Cassandra : A Novel & Four Essays by Christa Wolf 1988 - Farrar, Straus and Giroux

In the tradition of such masterpieces of historical fiction as Mary Renault's "The King Must Die" East German writer Christa Wolf movingly retells the story of the fall of Troy - but from the point of view of the woman whose visionary powers earned her contempt and scorn. Written as a result of the author's Greek travels and studies, "Cassandra" speaks to us in a pressing monologue whose inner focal points are patriarchy and war. In the four accompanying pieces, which take the form of travel reports, journal entries, and a letter, Wolf describes the novel's genesis. Incisive and intelligent, the entire volume represents an urgent call to examine the past in order to insure a future.