"Der Vitruvianische Mensch" by Ulrike Bolenz is a modern version of "The Vitruvian Man", the famous drawing by Leonardo da Vinci.
It depicts a man in two superimposed positions with his arms and legs apart and inscribed in a circle and square.
This novel refers to the expression squaring the circle, a metaphor for trying to do the impossible. The quadrature of the circle stands here for science, fiction, progress, avangardisme, ... but refers at the same time to the clock with several dates such as 02.12.1804 (coronation Napoleon), 1914 (start of WW1) , 11.09.2001 (nine eleven), 16.04.2006 (mp3-murder Brussels Central Station), ...
A sexagenarian discovers he has been chosen to heal the World. After reflexion, he decides to accept the challenge. While travelling into space and time, he realises he's getting younger...
