even to wonder whether the narrator may not be one of the characters in the novel. This way, the narrator is dependent on characters and the information they impart, becoming a researcher and critic of his source material. This is implicitly contrasted with the journalists who irresponsibly distort their sources. The attack on vulgar journalism is thus mounted from the perspective of a narrator whose moral authority is enhanced by the use of the 'regal' first-person plural form. In some parts of the story, the elaborate and detached manner is also used for comic effect when retelling violent, silly or emotionally conflicted incidents as more and more personal secrets of the characters are revealed. Adaptations The book has been adapted into the following works: The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum, a 1975 film adaptation of Böll's novel directed by Volker Schlöndorff and Margarethe von Trotta and starring Angela Winkler as Blum, Mario Adorf as Kommissar Beizmenne, Dieter Laser as Tötges and Jürgen Prochnow as Ludwig The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck, a 1984 TV movie starring Marlo Thomas as Blum and Kris Kristofferson as Ben Cole Heinrich Böll - The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum, a radio dramatisation in five parts broadcast as the 15 Minute Drama of the week (formerly the Woman's Hour Drama) on BBC Radio Four for the week commencing 15 October 2012 Katharina Blum, an opera adaptation by Tilo Medek to a libretto by his wife Dorothea based on the Böll novel, which premiered at the Theater Bielefeld on 20 April 1991 See also Le Monde 100 Books of the Century References General Beth, Hanno. "Rufmord und Mord: die publizistische Dimension der Gewalt. Zu Heinrich Bölls Erzählung 'Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum.'" "Heinrich Böll. Eine Einführung in das Gesamtwerk in Einzelinterpretationen. Ed. Hanno Beth. 2nd ed. Königstein, 1980. 69–95. 1974 German novels Novels by Heinrich Böll Novels about terrorists Cultural depictions of the Red Army Faction Novels about journalism Works about tabloid journalism German novels adapted into films Bild Novels adapted into operas Kiepenheuer & Witsch books