Suskind also wrote another novella called 'The Pigeon' and a play - all very different (although I'm not sure about the play). The soundtrack (Berlin Philharmonic) is amazing.I like that book. And the movie.
The novel's great because of how deliberately and unapologetically Postmodern it is (and how stylistically plagiarised it is from Voltaire and Rabelais). It's a lot of fun to teach, as well. Like an anti-detective novel set on dismantling Enlightenment ideas. Inspired and very odd.
I saw the fabric and I had to get a shirt made. It goes with the jackets (and, if it doesn't, onlookers must assume I'm profoundly disturbed and don't tell me ).