Swiss author Andrea Simmen‘s debut volume, published in 1991, rediscovered
Andrea Simmen, who died young, was »one of the most distinctive voices of a new generation of women writers« in Switzerland since the 1990s, wrote Beatrice von Matt in her obituary of the author in the ›Neue Zürcher Zeitung‹ on 27 July 2005. Simmen shared »an unflinching eye, a sense of paradox, above all immunity to ideologies of all kinds, including feminist ones« with writers of her generation according to Matt. To Andrea Simmen it was important to develop a »language in ›variations of laughter‹« – her unique use of language can be rediscovered in this debut volume, first published in 1991. Tragicomic stories, such as that of the nine-fingered television announcer Andreas Gaspazzo, who fell victim to the colon, set this volume apart. It’s usually individual keywords that cause Simmen’s stories to leave their path and slide into the arabesque, for example when the children’s fairy tale in »Grandmothers« becomes an uninhibited spectacle.
Switzerland and its male narrative tradition is a recurring theme. Simmen deals with these topics in a humorous way and creates her own, unique narrative style, with her precise descriptions and lively language.
Andrea Simmen, born in Zurich in 1960 and died in Flaach in canton Zurich in 2005. She worked as a cook, decorator and gardener and began writing alongside her work. Simmen published the following books: »Der eingeschneite Hund. Roman« (2001), »Vielleicht heisst er Paul. Erzählungen« (1995), »Landschaft mit Schäfer und anderen Reizen. Erzählungen« (1993) and »Ich bin ein Opfer des Doppelpunktes. Erzählungen« (1991). She has received several awards for her work: ›Werkbeitrag des Kantons Aargau‹ (1999), ›Werkjahr des Kantons Aargau‹ (1995), participation in the competition for the ›Ingeborg-Bachmann-Preis‹ in Klagenfurt (1995), ›Werkbeitrag der Pro Helvetia‹ (1994), ›Anerkennungspreis Zollikon‹ (1993), ›Ehrengabe des Kantons Zürich‹ (1991) and ›Arbeiterliteraturpreis‹ (1989).
