A masterful novella about one of the great writers of the 20th century ""It is now certain that the false Thomas Mann must be an agent of the Secret State Police,"" wrote Bruno, after he had opened his notebook again, laid it neatly on the table, and bent over it like a cat with its back arched, ""and I suspect he will not leave our town until we have all lost our wits."" Bruno Schulz has foreseen catastrophe and is almost paralysed by fear. His last chance of survival is to leave the home town to which, despite being in his late forties, he clings as if to a comforting blanket.