Die Kälte is the fourth volume of what promises to be a lengthy series of autobiographical reminiscences. As in its predecessor, Der Atem (1978 …), here too the author treats only a brief period of his life and offers a detailed chronicle of his illness….

Die Kälte is as much a metaphor for the hopelessness of human existence, for life as a sickness unto death, as it is a personal account of suffering. It abounds with recognizable truths and powerful descriptions and impresses the reader with its complete honesty. Yet the awkward, long-winded, monotonous style and the lack of compassion for the very human condition that seems to be at its core make Die Kälte a tedious and dreary book. Indeed, if it were not for the occasional intimations of familial attachments and friendships, it could be termed cold, even callous. Paradoxical as it may seem, the...