Thomas Bernhard was one of the most original writers of the twentieth century. His formal innovation ranks with Beckett and Kafka his outrageously cantankerous voice recalls Dostoevsky but his gift for lacerating lyrical provocative prose is incomparably his own.One of Bernhards most acclaimed novels The Loser centers on a fictional relationship between piano virtuoso Glenn Gould and two of his fellow students who feel compelled to renounce their musical ambitions in the face of Goulds incomparable genius. One commits suicide while the other the obsessive witty and selfmocking narrator has retreated into obscurity. Written as a monologue in one remarkable unbroken paragraph The Loser is a brilliant meditation on success failure genius and fame. show more