Dörte Hansen

Broder Bahnsen always wanted to be a farmer, following in the footsteps of his father, who passed down to him a “knack for cows”—an instinctive understanding of animals. But the farm goes to his twin brother Henning, who is just a few minutes older and more interested in machinery. Broder becomes a veterinarian and keeps his distance. After more than twenty years, he returns and takes over a veterinary practice near his parents’ farm, which his brother has since turned into a state-of-the-art model operation, with cows bred for maximum milk production. But Broder notices that Henning is slowly losing control of his farm. Suddenly, he wonders if he hasn’t been waiting all these years to take his brother’s place? Or has he long since begun to doubt a form of agriculture that subordinates animals and nature to the laws of efficiency?

Dr. Dörte Hansen, born in Husum, worked as an NDR editor and author after studying linguistics. Her novels *Altes Land*, *Mittagsstunde*, and *Zur See* became major bestsellers. She lives in North Frisia.