Phantom Border - by Kerstin Lange (Paperback)

About the Book

Lange uses the German Green Belt as a map for a multifaceted investigation of borders, migration, identity, and the meaning of home.

Book Synopsis

"Phantom Border" weaves together the social and ecological stories surrounding the border that divided the author's native Germany during the Cold War. Lange presents personal, micro-and macro-level perspectives on life in the East German borderland, the Peaceful Revolution, and the time since Reunification. During the four decades the Iron Curtain divided Germany and the European continent, over 1,200 rare animal and plant species found refuge in the border strip - today's Grünes Band or Green Belt. Lange uses the 1,400-kilometer-long German Green Belt as a map for a personal reconnaissance of her home country and as a prism through which to investigate the transformation of the border, along with the societal reverberations of the division and its aftermath. She employs an anthropological and journalistic approach to provide a multifaceted investigation of borders, migration, identity, and the meaning of home. The book argues that, in light of the current biodiversity crisis, the Green Belt can offer clues about the ecological dimension of "home."

Review Quotes

[Phantom Border] Blends skilled storytelling, highly illustrative writing, and a kind of empathetic reportage that really makes me feel immersed in every scene. Satisfying for mind and heart.--Phyllis Edgerly Ring, author of The Munich Girl

An engrossing recollection, brimming with insight and emotional candor.-- "Kirkus"

In Phantom Border, Kerstin Lange combines personal and political histories into a powerful meditation on place. Her "structured sauntering" through modern Germany explores the lingering shadows of a Cold War boundary, brightened throughout by vivid descriptions of the people and diverse landscapes she encounters along the way.--Thor Hanson, author of Feathers, Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid, and Close to Home

Phantom Border blends skilled storytelling, highly illustrative writing, and a kind of empathetic reportage that really makes me feel immersed in every scene. Satisfying for mind and heart.--Phyllis Edgerly Ring

Lange's extensive training in both anthropology and natural science has resulted in a valuable perspective on the recent history of Germany. Readers will be moved by insights the book provides into human experiences of both the present and the past along the now former border and will be captivated by the knowledge it offers into the unique biodiversity of the Green Belt. Making this text even more compelling are the many meaningful glimpses we gain from it into Lange's own personal journey within a society that has undergone significant transformation over the course of her lifetime.--Gerard A. Weber, Associate Professor, Anthropology and Sociology, Bronx Community College of the City University of New York

Lange's language is beautiful, poetic at just the right moments: a linguistic joy. The book is written with exactly the sensitivity that is needed in matters concerning East and West in today's Germany. Lange's own story provides one thread of the book, making for a captivating read and providing an important perspective.--Andrea Mehrländer, Executive Director, Academy of Transatlantic Academic Studies Berlin

This book combines adventure, history, and a narrative of how people lived confronted with the post WWII environment in Germany. Lange explores consequences and lessons that continue to the present day. Phantom Border tackles the larger issues, the importance of home, and its offshoot into conservation biology and ethics. With verve and clarity, it serves a rich fare for a wide readership. It is a great read.--Bernd Heinrich

About the Author

Kerstin Lange is an independent writer and journalist based in Vermont. Originally from northern Germany and fluent in German, she holds an M.A. in Anthropology from Binghamton University and an M.S. in Natural History/Ecology from the University of Vermont. She has taught at both of these institutions, led educational tours around the world, and consulted on natural history-based land management. Lange has published in SAPIENS, Northern Woodlands, and Vermont Quarterly magazines and was a commentator on Vermont Public Radio for ten years. Her mission is to make history and ecology personal.