Martin Suter
Martin Suter was born in Zurich in 1948. His first job was as a copywriter and creative director in advertising. He has worked exclusively as an author since 1991.
His debut novel »Small World« (1997) was translated into English in 2001 and follows the story of Konrad Lang, who suffers from Alzheimer’s. The novel displays the qualities that permeate his complete works: »exciting like a thriller, well researched and sensitively written in a clear and precise language« (SRF Literatur). This was followed by »Die dunkle Seite des Mondes« (2000; tr: The Dark Side of the Moon), a story about a lawyer in an identity crisis, and »Ein perfekter Freund« (2002; tr: A Perfect Friend), about a journalist who has to come to terms with amnesia. Described by Suter as a »neurological trilogy«, these first three novels launched a highly successful writing career. Suter’s other works include the love story »Lila, Lila« (2004; tr: Violet, Violet), in which a young man, in order to win the heart of his beloved, pretends to be the author of a manuscript he did not write himself; »Der letzte Weynfeldt« (2008; Eng. »The Last Weynfeldt«, 2016), about a single art expert whose life is thrown off course by an unexpected encounter; and »Elefant« (2017; Eng. »Elephant«, 2018), about a small pink elephant that generates interest amongst genetic researchers and elephant whisperers alike. The »Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung« praised his work by stating »When Martin Suter writes, a film runs in the minds of his readers from the first to the last page of the book that by no means tolerates prolonged interruptions in the reading« and also attested to Suter’s »philanthropic irony«, »fearless approach to the things of life«, and his »dazzling economy of storytelling«. Several of Suter’s novels have been made into films for cinema and television, including the Allmen detective series, which follows the creative mind and bon vivant Johann Friedrich von Allmen – played by Heino Ferch in the TV adaptation – and his companion Carlos as they conduct investigations in high-society. Suter’s popular columns »Business Class«, about the world of management, and »Richtig Leben mit Geri Weibel« (tr: Living Right With Geri Weibel), satirical texts about lifestyle trends, were published together in book form, and new chapters can be found on martin-suter.com. His most recent publication, »Alle sind so ernst geworden« (2020; tr: Everyone Has Become so Serious), is a volume of conversations between Martin Suter and Benjamin von Stuckrad-Barre on topics ranging from swimming trunks to God.
Furthermore, Suter has written plays, screenplays, and song lyrics. He has received numerous awards, including the SwissAward from Swiss Radio and Television (SRF) in the culture category and the Friedrich Glauser Prize in the crime novel category. Martin Suter lives in Zurich.
Small World
Diogenes
Zürich, 1997
Lila, Lila
Diogenes
Zürich, 2004
Der letzte Weynfeldt
Diogenes
Zürich, 2008
Elefant
Diogenes
Zürich, 2017
Alle sind so ernst geworden
[mit Benjamin von Stuckrad-Barre]
Diogenes
Zürich, 2020