In Paradise: A Novel. Vol. II

Set on the tranquil shore of Lake Starnberg, a modest country house with a shady park of beeches and cedars becomes the unlikely stage for a quiet, incisive comedy of manners. The home, once the summer retreat of a deceased landscape painter, is inherited by the flamboyant Edward Rossel—known among his circle as “Fat Rossel”—who despises rustic life and champions idle city comforts. His arrival astonishes friends who expected the usual city‑bound indulgences, while the house’s turret studio offers a panoramic view that hints at hidden reflections on nature and society.

Rossel’s contempt for the romantic ideal of mountain retreats fuels witty exchanges with local townsfolk and his own acquaintances, who tease him for his presumptuous irony. As summer deepens, the gentle rhythms of the lake and the soft rustle of the cedars begin to infiltrate his stubborn worldview, prompting subtle shifts in his daily routines. Listeners will find himself drawn into Rossel’s inner debate between the allure of serene landscapes and his entrenched belief in urban ease, setting the stage for an exploration of pride, perception, and quiet power of place.