In this volume, the distinguished East German writer Christa Wolf retells the st
ory 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 inn
er focal points are patriarchy and war. In the four accompanying pieces, which t
ake the form of travel reports, journal entries, and a letter, Wolf describes th
e novel's genesis. Incisive and intelligent, the entire volume represents an urg
ent call to examine the past in order to insure a future.
