Günter Grass' last book

"Günter Grass left us a moving farewell," said his publisher Gerhard Steidl at the presentation of the book "Vonne Endlichkait," to be published in German on Friday (28.08.2015). An English version should be availble in the fall of 2016.

The title is in East Prussian dialect and means "About Finitude." Grass explored themes such as aging, loss, and the end of life, adding his own "subtle form of humor" to his reflections, which are at times "hilarious," said Steidl.

"The book is a literary experiment," added the publisher. It combines a series of short prose texts, each accompanied by a poem and a pencil drawing by the author. Although it is made up of many short elements, a very clear narrative arc emerges from the work, said the editor, Dieter Stolz.

Steidl does not believe any other hidden manuscript from the author will turn up, but a publication of some of his diaries is planned, especially those focusing on his political observations.

Günter Grass, who won the Nobel Prize in 1999, is considered one of the most important German authors. Most famous for his 1959 post-war novel "The Tin Drum," he wrote over 70 works translated into 40 languages.

Grass died this year on April 13 at the age of 87.

eg/kbm (dpa, epd)