signed-firsts
The Loser Signed First Edition Reference
Der Untergeher (Suhrkamp, 1983; English: Knopf, 1991) tells the story of three piano students at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, one of whom is Glenn Gould. The presence of Gould’s genius destroys the other two — one commits suicide, the narrator abandons piano for writing. The novel is a meditation on the annihilating effect of encountering true greatness.
Signed Copy Market Values
- Signed German first: $150–$400
- Signed English first: $100–$300
- Unsigned English first: $15–$30
The Loser has perhaps the widest appeal of any Bernhard novel — its subject (the psychological devastation of encountering genius) resonates with anyone who has ever compared their abilities to another’s.