“Eurotrash,” by Christian Kracht; translated by Daniel Bowles (W.W. Norton & Co., 2024)

This work of autofiction is a sequel to Kracht’s 1995 debut novel, “Faserland.” It’s a bittersweet tale of a privileged Swiss man, repelled by his family’s German history yet nonchalantly entitled regarding the wealthy, jet-setting lifestyle that that family afforded him. The character Kracht sets off on a sentimental road trip with his demented, aging mother, who is also addicted to both drugs and alcohol. Their trip is punctuated by both tender moments and painful memories, and it serves as Kracht’s parting gift to his mother before checking her into a sanatorium for her final stay. Exactly who is the Eurotrash here? (Longlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2025.) — 2 stars (out of 4); Kath

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