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Forgotten Author of the Week - Michael Ende

Michael Ende is a German writer of fantasy and children's literature. Before you jump to the conclusion that you do not know this author, I can promise you that you have heard of him and seen his work. Ever heard a little film called The Neverending Story? That is Ende. Ende was born in 1929 in Bavaria, Germany.

Ende was one of the most popular and famous German authors of the 20th century, mostly due to the enormous success of his children's books. However, Ende was not strictly a children’s author, as he also wrote books for adults. Ende claimed, "It is for this child in me, and in all of us, that I tell my stories," and that "[my books are] for any child between 80 and 8 years." Ende’s writing could be described as a surreal mixture of reality and fantasy. The reader is often invited to take a more interactive role in the story, and the worlds in his books often mirror our reality, using fantasy to bring light to the problems of an increasingly technological modern society.

Die unendliche Geschichte (The Neverending Story) is Ende's best known work. Other books that have been translated into English include Jim Button and Luke the Engine Drive (1960),  Jim Button and the Wild 13 (1962), The Grey Gentlemen (1973), The Neverending Story (1979), Ophelia's Shadow Theatre (1988), The Night of Wishes (1989).

Michael Ende's works have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 20 million copies, and have been adapted into motion pictures, stage plays, operas and audio books.


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