Leon Engler delights with his debut novel Botany of Madness” in Esslingen

Leon Engler delights with his debut novel Botany of Madness” in Esslingen

The German-Austrian author and psychologist gave a presentation in the carriage hall of the Esslingen city library as part of the 31st Esslingen Literature Days “Lesart 2025”. Leon Engler his debut novel “Botany of Madness”. With an enthusiastic audience and moderated by Dominique Caina, who curates the literary series for adults, the author captivated the audience.

Engler's novel has autobiographical features, but he does not describe it as a pure life report. The first-person narrator, a therapist in the psychiatric ward, keeps a diary about his experiences. He provides insights into his family history and addresses the question of whether madness in a family shapes the fate of the next generations. “Botany of Madness” conveys a robust mixture of sadness and humor that pleasantly surprises the reader.

The shadow games of the psyche

Already in his childhood in Munich, the protagonist is confronted with the dark sides of life. The forced eviction from his alcoholic mother's apartment is the emotional test for his development. Engler weaves these tragic elements together with clever humor, for example when he describes his math teacher or his suicidal grandmother. The protagonist also leads an escape - from Munich to New York, then to Paris, before studying theater studies and psychology in Vienna.

In his novel, Engler also addresses the question of what actually increases or triggers mental illness. He recognized that up to 50 percent of alcohol addiction can be genetic, while bipolar disorders are up to 80 percent genetic. The author addresses the transgenerational transmission of psychological suffering and highlights the effects of trauma on education and communication. For him, “normal” is not a category that he can do anything with.

An insight into complex mental landscapes

The reading ended impressively with melodic guitar sounds that mixed with heart sounds and symbolized the flow of life. Despite the heavy themes Engler covers, there is an underlying conflict with reality that encourages readers to grapple with human failure. “Botany of Madness” proves to be a stylistically outstanding work. It contains essayistic excursions on the history of psychiatry and highlights the lives of several family members who suffer from mental illnesses.

People interested in literature and psychology should not miss the novel, which will be published by DuMont Book Publishing in 2025. Engler's experiences as a psychologist and his examination of his own family background stories create a great area of ​​tension that stimulates thought. As Engler himself explains, there are many social factors that contribute to the development of mental illness.

If you would like to find out more about the book publication or how you can purchase the work, you can find information at wikihow.com. Either way, Engler's debut makes you sit up and take notice - both linguistically and thematically.