# Besserwisser: A Novel | Americans Abroad in a Mystery Farce, 99 cents



## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Munich, 1990: American expat slacker Gordy Ford poses as a top Hitler scholar, all to impress a girl. Stuck in his scam, Gordy soon thinks he's stumbled onto a shocking historical discovery that's made him the target of a wannabe Neo-Nazi and shady Russian mafia.

Besserwisser (German for "would-be know-it-alls") has dark and dry humor, a rowdy plot, and imposters exposed despite their best efforts.

"A nifty lesson, delivered in a rousing plot." -IndieReader

"Confederacy of Dunces but set against the backdrop of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Besserwisser is a comical adventure that will keep you guessing." -The LL Book Review

"An offbeat, dark comedy with a touch of suspense and I found myself quickly engaged ... if you lean toward literate, witty writers, you may well enjoy this." -Ron Edison, Amazon (US) review

"'Hilarious Romp Through Bavaria' ... I actually had that sad feeling that many of us get when we finish a good book and lose some new friends." -Dave Conifer, Amazon (US) review

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002NU5LCW/ref=cm_cd_asin_lnk

Thanks, cheers, and danke. 
Steve


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Hi all,

Just wanted you to know that Besserwisser: A Novel is now only $1.99 for Kindle.

Of course I want to attract readers with the new price, but it's about more than that. The more I follow the ebook's rise, the more I believe ebooks should be priced much lower than physical books and I'm going to try and boycott those books reaching ten bucks or more.

Set in 1990, Besserwisser is about an American slacker in Munich, Gordy, who pretends to be a top Fulbright scholar and gets more attention than he bargained for. There's lots of dark humor, a rowdy plot, and imposters exposed despite their best efforts.

Besserwisser: A Novel is also available on Smashwords as a multi-format ebook at the same low price of $1.99. I hope you'll check it out.

Cheers,
Happy reading,
Steve



sf_anderson said:


> It's 1990, the Berlin Wall's fallen and American slacker Gordy Ford arrives in Munich with barely a roof over his head. Hoping to impress Jane, a hip older German, Gordy carries on a half-baked charade that he's a top Fulbright scholar. Soon Gordy and his long-lost expat pal Tad stumble onto a historical discovery that seems to invoke the wrath of a shady Neo-Nazi wannabe, Hugo, not to mention the recently liberated Russian mafia. But what are they all really after? Each carry secrets and will have to come clean -- even when the truth wreaks havoc on guarded love and brittle dreams.
> 
> _Besserwisser_ (German for "upstart know-it-alls") offers dark humor, a rowdy plot and imposters exposed despite their best efforts. It also comes from the heart, since I once was (really was) a Fulbright Research Fellow in Munich. Here's the link:
> 
> ...


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

911jason said:


> Here's a link with the cover image:
> 
> 
> 
> Is this novel based on personal experience Steve? =)


Uh, there were certain, uh, influences, yes ; ) Thanks for asking.


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Hi all. Just wanted you to know that Besserwisser: A Novel recently got a five-star review on Amazon and Smashwords. An excerpt: 

"Besserwisser was a complete blast... At the risk of using a cliché -- I LOLed on every page. The voice of the author worked perfectly... It was all wrapped up neatly in the end, with no cheating. I actually had that sad feeling that many of us get when we finish a good book and lose some new friends."

It comes from a fellow writer that you all may know from these boards, Dave Conifer. I didn't know Dave before this. Can't think of a better way to be introduced!

I hope you'll give the book a look.

Thanks and Happy New Year,
Steve Anderson


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## daveconifer (Oct 20, 2009)

I meant every word I wrote about Besserwisser.  I really got to be a close bud to Gordy after all we went through together, as weird as that sounds.  I don't like every book I read and since I'm not a professional reviewer I don't feel obligated to do a bad review on something I don't like.  But I won't lie in a review  -- this book is awesome!


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Thanks again for reading, Dave. I should probably quit saying thanks already, but I'm really glad you got what I was after. And as for Gordy, he's still out there somewhere and definitely appreciates you sticking with him through it all!


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

For what it's worth (this is a Kindle board after all), I wanted you to know Besserwisser: A Novel is out on the Barnes & Noble/nook ebooks store. It's also on Scribd, if anyone's into that -- it's an up-and-coming document sharing site that some of you fellow authors might want to check out:

B&N: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Besserwisser/Steve-Anderson/e/2940000698471/?itm=1&USRI=besserwisser

Scribd: http://www.scribd.com/doc/19328671/Besserwisser-A-Novel

Thanks, happy reading and writing,
Steve


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Hi all,

Just wanted to spread the word that _Besserwisser: A Novel_ is 50% off for Smashwords' July Sale -- just use coupon code *SWS50*: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/3697

One more week to grab this deal -- same goes for my other novels, _The Losing Role_ and _False Refuge_.

Thanks!

Happy reading,
Steve


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Hey there,

I wanted to let you know that Amazon has discounted _Besserwisser: A Novel_ and my other novels to $2.39. Not sure how long this will last, so have at em: http://tinyurl.com/283424f

Thanks! 
Steve


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Also, I got a new cover. Just in time for *Oktoberfest*, where a part of the book is set. _*Prost!*_

Steve


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Hi all,

I wanted to share a five-star review I received yesterday. I don't go around posting all my reviews, but I thought this one was well-written and informative for readers:

Ron Edison (Glen Ellyn, IL): 
"(5 stars) Gut gemacht!
http://www.amazon.com/review/ROFEGOG9OPT0K/ref=cm_cr_dp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B002NU5LCW&nodeID=133140011&tag=&linkCode=



Thanks for letting me share.

Happy reading,
Steve

_edit -- posting reviews not allowed per forum rules, follow the link to read it. . . ._

[Thanks, editors! I'll be sure to post a link next time. -- Steve]


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Thanks to all those who've been reading _Besserwisser: A Novel_ recently. Not sure why the small surge, but it's currently in the Top 10 for Kindle > Humor >Parodies.

In _Besserwisser_, lame imposters vie for a juicy historical secret, fueled by beer and sausage in 1990 Munich.

While I'm at it, a recent interview _here_ and _here_ reveals why my characters probably hate me.

I appreciate it!


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## chris.truscott (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm resurrecting this old thread because this is an extremely good book!


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Thanks so much, Chris. I moved over what we were discussing on another thread, because it has to do with this book:



chris.truscott said:


> I really liked the use of the time period in Besserwisser. I was a 21-year-old senior in college during Y2k. In a different way, I think the close of the 1990s was similar to the opening, except the late years held, perhaps, more promise. Of course that all fell apart relatively quickly, but I do remember those being really heady days in which anything was possible.
> 
> I'd also say the close of the 1990s was a less responsible or reflective time....our big civil involvement was drinking games during the Clinton impeachment saga. There wasn't much in the way of reflection because it seemed as though we had conquered the world.
> 
> (For what it's worth, in July 2001 I did a paper and presentation in grad school ripping the missile defense shield as the solution to the last war. Discussed terrorism and bin Laden, though my metaphor was Oklahoma City. I didn't anticipate planes in that manner, but I did find on cnn.com the 1990s-plot to blow up US airliners over the Pacific.)


You make really great points. I was just finishing college when the Wall came down and struck out to Germany and into Eastern Europe with a backpack. Saw some amazing things, and really did feel some of that promise though I think you're right about there being more at the end of the 90s. In 1990 no one knew what the heck was going to give, really, because the US and USSR (seems weird to write that now) had seemed to hold everything together till then, or so we thought.

Then, at the end of the 90s when you were in college, I was with the AP and constantly checking the wires and kept seeing stories about the freaky Taliban and some guy named Bin Laden, but I suspect few members carried the stories. Like you said, we're always fighting the last war and still are.

Everyone in Besserwisser feels some kind of promise, I think, but it's also a comedy and most of them not so smart. Can't go well!

Thanks again for reading, Chris. I know this type of dark humor with few sympathetic characters or actions is not the type of book for everyone, so I'm glad I could connect with another who got it.

-- Steve


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## chris.truscott (Dec 3, 2010)

A few weeks after 9/11, I went to the library at Minnesota State and grabbed a stack of newspapers from that morning (what people would've read). I was inspired to do so because I had gone outside and grabbed my Mankato Free Press on 9/11 and then turned on the TV and never got back to the paper.

What was interesting is that way in the back of the Washington Post was a short AP story on the Northern Alliance leader getting killed. To someone sitting on a Virginia Railway Express train in the wee hours (like my Dad usually did), it would've been a "sucks to be that guy" moment. Within hours, the story made sense.

(I spent an hour trying to call Dad's office in DC that morning. All circuits busy. Finally called home. He had taken the day off and was blissfully ignorant of everything happening right up the road. Was watching "Walker Texas Ranger.")

----

I wonder, 10 years from now, how 2010 will look compared to 1990 or 2000. I just read Jobless Recovery. Seems like the story of a generation.


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

chris.truscott said:


> ... I wonder, 10 years from now, how 2010 will look compared to 1990 or 2000. I just read Jobless Recovery. Seems like the story of a generation.


Good point, Chris. It will probably look something like the Great Depression era to a good many. The era will need a title, definitely. L.C. Evans' title "Jobless Recovery" sounds about right -- if we're lucky enough!

By the way, I'll be sure to check out your book eventually. My TBR list is out of control.

--Steve


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## chris.truscott (Dec 3, 2010)

Steve Anderson said:


> Good point, Chris. It will probably look something like the Great Depression era to a good many. The era will need a title, definitely. L.C. Evans' title "Jobless Recovery" sounds about right -- if we're lucky enough!
> 
> By the way, I'll be sure to check out your book eventually. My TBR list is out of control.
> 
> --Steve


Just bought False Refuge w/ my Amazon Christmas gift card. Finishing up Uncivil Liberties and moving onto Fifth Avenue next. Hope to get into False Refuge in a couple weeks. Really looking forward to it!


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

chris.truscott said:


> Just bought False Refuge w/ my Amazon Christmas gift card. Finishing up Uncivil Liberties and moving onto Fifth Avenue next. Hope to get into False Refuge in a couple weeks. Really looking forward to it!


Thanks, Chris! Sounds good to me. But I think I'm feeling the pressure.  Three for three is tough.

Steve


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Hi all,

How about a quirky coming-of-age novel that spoofs mystery/espionage thrillers? _Besserwisser: A Novel_ is only 99 cents for a limited time.

Thanks and happy reading,
Steve


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

_Besserwisser_, my "odd" book, is featured over at _*Indie Books Blog*_, complete with mini interview:

http://indiebooksblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/besserwisser-novel-steve-anderson.html

I hope you'll check it out.

Thanks!


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

"A nifty lesson, delivered in a rousing plot." The kooky book got a nice review today over at the new *IndieReader*:

http://indiereader.com/2011/04/besserwisser-a-novel/

And it's currently only 99 cents/71 p for Kindle.

I hope you'll check it out. Thanks and danke!


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

Readers and authors, do you know about *Bargain eBooks*? The site has lots of finds, including _Besserwisser: A Novel_ and my other two novels all captured together at their cheapest -- *all currently 99 cents*. Have at em!

*http://bargainebooks.blogspot.com/2011/05/bargain-ebooks-196.html
*











Steve


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