Book · 2025 · Fiction
The Director
A Novel
- mentions
- 4
- people
- 4
- podcasts
- 2
- episodes
- 4
- recommendations
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This is the director by Daniel Kelman and translated by Ross Benjamin.
The best things said about it
Well right now I'm reading the director which is by my Austrian friend Daniel kilman It's a Wonderful book about uh the filmmaker WG Pabst.
Zadie Smith The Ezra Klein Show · Sep 2024 It's not the same as they put this year for, let's pick one of our best books, The Director, right? A great book that absolutely was not a book that anybody was gunning to be book of the year, despite the fact that they have a great team over at Summit.
Dave, I'd love to talk about the next book on our list, which is The Director by Daniel Kan.
4 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
The Director by Daniel Kehlmann is a historical fiction novel inspired by the complex life and career of renowned Austrian filmmaker G.W. Pabst. Jumanna Senan recommended the novel on The Book Review as a standout translated work, pointing out its deep ties to Pabst's cinematic history and Ross Benjamin's English translation. Zadie Smith similarly recommended the book at the conclusion of an interview on The Ezra Klein Show, praising it as a wonderful piece of contemporary fiction by her Austrian friend. Later in the literary podcast cycle, John Maher discussed the book on The Book Review, using it as an example of a critically acclaimed work that achieved remarkable success without massive promotional backing or being heavily hyped as an obvious book of the year contender. Gilbert Cruz also featured the title on the same podcast, introducing it as a core text for discussion alongside fellow critics. Across these discussions, the novel was celebrated for its literary depth, character complexity, and its nuanced portrayal of historical artistry under immense political pressure, capturing the attention of thoughtful readers and prominent authors alike who appreciated its subtle ascent to critical prominence.
Every mention
Jumanna Senan This is the director by Daniel Kelman and translated by Ross Benjamin. 1
“This is the director by Daniel Kelman and translated by Ross Benjamin.”
Zadie Smith well right now I'm reading the director which is by my Austrian friend Daniel kilman It's a Wonderful book… 1
“well right now I'm reading the director which is by my Austrian friend Daniel kilman It's a Wonderful book about uh the filmmaker WG Pabst”
Gilbert Cruz Dave, I'd love to talk about the next book on our list, which is The Director by Daniel Kan. 1
“Dave, I'd love to talk about the next book on our list, which is The Director by Daniel Kan.”
John Maher It's not the same as they put this year for, let's pick one of our best books, The Director, right? A great… 1
“It's not the same as they put this year for, let's pick one of our best books, The Director, right? A great book that absolutely was not a book that anybody was gunning to be book of the year, despite the fact that they have a great team over at Summit.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (4: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Angel Down by Daniel Kraus, The Director by Daniel Kehlmann, and Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy.”
“The Director by Daniel Kelman.”
“That was the director by Daniel Kan.”
“The Director,”