Hash

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The recipes for Swedish hash, a dish celebrated in remote northern villages for its taste and restorative qualities, vary greatly. The ingredients—meats, offal, and grains—can be obscure or even dangerous, leading to results that are both emetic and sublime. The quest for the ultimate hash drives this darkly comic novel by one of Sweden's esteemed authors. In a small town plagued by tuberculosis, two contrasting men arrive amidst the suffering, which locals accept with an unusual glee. Robert Maser, a traveling garment salesman, is actually the fugitive Martin Bormann, the Nazi leader rumored to have escaped during Berlin's fall. He teams up with Lars, a local schoolteacher, on a peculiar mission to find the world's best hash, wandering the countryside and sampling humble family recipes. As their search intensifies, it becomes evident that they seek more than just culinary excellence; they are searching for the essence of life that persists even in dire circumstances. The narrative unfolds through the eyes of a 107-year-old newspaper reporter who witnessed these events in 1947. He reflects on his relationship with life and death, happiness and suffering, while exploring the power of art to convey life's complexities.