"Human dignity is inviolable," says the Basic Law. But that's wrong. Because it's violated every day. In his essays, Ferdinand von Schirach grapples with the major issues of our time—why terrorism ultimately decides the fate of democracy—while simultaneously exploring deeply personal reflections on writing, reading on the iPad, and smoking. Often, it is merely chance that makes an individual a perpetrator or a victim. Guilt is what can be personally attributed to a person. His compellingly articulated thoughts on good and evil, on the moral and ethical questions in our society, have contributed significantly to the international success of his stories and novels. In his essays, Ferdinand von Schirach addresses pressing topics such as the challenges to our democracy in the face of terrorism, show trials against celebrities, preventive detention, and the threat of torture against child murderers. He also explores the state of reading in the age of the iPad and what the compulsion to write truly means for a writer. biography Ferdinand von Schirach, born in Munich in 1964, has worked as a lawyer and criminal defense attorney in Berlin since 1994. His clients have included former Politburo member Günter Schabowski, former BND spy Norbert Juretzko, industrialists, celebrities, and members of the criminal underworld. Note: Please be aware that we are also subject to fixed book prices and may not be able to pass on any short-term price increases or decreases to S New product