''The School for Atheists: A Novella=Comedy in 6 Acts'' (''Die Schule der Atheisten'') is a novel by

Arno Schmidt Arno Schmidt (; 18 January 1914 – 3 June 1979) was a German author and translator. He is little known outside of German-speaking areas, in part because his works present a formidable challenge to translators. Although he is not one of the p ...

. It was originally published in German in 1972. It was translated into English by John E. Woods and published by Green Integer in 2001.

Summary

The novel is presented as an experimental drama, making extensive use of Schmidt's playful language and typography. The story is set in 2014 and it concerns a summit of world leaders. The summit is held at the home of William T. Kolderup in

Tellingstedt Tellingstedt is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated approximately 13 km east of Heide. Tellingstedt is part of the '' Amt Kirchspielslandgemeinde'' ("collective municipality") Eider ...

. A nested narrative in this story is that of the adventures of Kolderup and the mother of Isis, the American Secretary of State. In Kolderup's story, the ship that carries him and the mother of Isis is wrecked, testing the atheistic beliefs of the stranded characters. {{DEFAULTSORT:School for Atheists Books with atheism-related themes German philosophical novels 1972 German novels Novels by Arno Schmidt