Uwe Johnson is considered one of the most important postwar German authors, significant not only for his unique literary style and linguistic creativity but also for the thematic issues he addressed in his works. Johnson was the first German author to treat, in fiction, the division of Germany after the war. He explored its psychological, political, and cultural manifestations in a network of characters and places unmatched in complexity and authenticity.

Understanding Uwe Johnson provides the reader with a comprehensive overview of this author's oeuvre, concentrating on his five most meaningful works: Ingrid Babendererde, Speculations about Jakob, The Third Book about Achim, Two Views, and Anniversaries: from the Life of Gesine Cresspahl. A chapter on Johnson's life relates his fiction to his scandalized existence in both Germanys, Great Britain, and the United States.