A novel is a “map of contradictions,” says German-Austrian writer Daniel Kehlmann—an arena of clashing viewpoints, each with its own persuasive logic. This program presents an interview with Kehlmann in which he discusses his literary goals and his search for fertile soil in the dichotomous history of Western Europe. Specific topics include personal freedom, cultural and religious tolerance, and Kehlmann’s fascination with German philosophers and scientists of the past. All are set against a paradoxical backdrop as the program winds through Vienna’s Enlightenment-era settings, then enters Mauthausen Concentration Camp, a horrific reminder of Austria’s fascist legacy. (29 minutes)