THE EMPIRE OF THE SENSES

Plotted with meticulous precision and populated by sensuous characters, this is a story of love, passion, and the power of the human spirit. As exquisitely written, as it is sensual and sprawling, The Empire of the Senses calls to mind books like The History of Love by Nicole Krauss and The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer.

The Empire of the Senses is the story of the Perlmutter family, which unfolds against the backdrop of Berlin's changing cultural and political landscape, spanning from the early years of the 20th century, to the decadence of the late 1920s, to the growing nationalism and totalitarian future hovering over the end of the book. The novel shifts perspective, following the four main characters: Lev and Josephine and their children Franz and Vicki. Part I covers 1908-1919, focusing on Lev's life-changing experiences during World War I on the Eastern Front as well as how Josephine copes with Lev's absence in wartime Berlin while raising their two children. Part II, from 1927-1928, is where we pick up with the Perlmutter family in Berlin, eight years later, when the children have grown into young adults and are grappling with their own set of questions. Unlike most early 20th century historicals, The Empire of the Senses is not about the Holocaust but rather about how such a catastrophe was unimaginable to the majority of people living in Germany at that time, Germans and Jews alike. It captures a moment in time when Germany could have gone either way (a free state vs. a fascist one), and when the potential for a democratic, liberal Germany was still foreseeable. A graduate of Vassar College, ALEXIS LANDAU went onto work in the London publishing world after which she received her MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College. She is now pursuing her PhD in English Literature and Creative Writing at The University of Southern California. Twice, Alexis was awarded honorable mention in the Edward W. Moses Graduate Creative Writing Competition, and her short stories have appeared in journals such as LA City Zine and Amor Fati. She was also awarded the General Education Graduate Assistant Award for teaching at USC. Originally from Los Angeles, Alexis lives with her husband and two children in Santa Monica.