Thomas Bernhard's Extinction is, like his other novels, a cry of denunciation and renunciation. The plot can be summarized as follows: An Austrian living in Rome receives news of the death of his parents and brother in an automobile accident and returns for the funeral. Within that bare frame, Bernhard paints a dark and complex portrait of a family, stopping along the way to assess German literature, the destructive influence of photography, and other subjects. The ending stuns, but such is Bernhard's skill that on a moment's reflection it is revealed to be perfect.
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