Thanks, Sarah. I have downloaded the ebook and ordered the paperback too. Too impatent to start reading to wait for it to arrive. I love his books, I suppose because I'm part Jewish. My grandfather said that his books are true to pre-WWI Jewish life. My great grandfather was a Polish Jew who walked znd scrounged lifts on carts to walk to Paris to study. He had killed a Cossack during a pogrom and had to flee. He was defending his sister. I can live with the fact he was a louse, but an interesting writer.
I would be interested in knowing the author of the biography. I'm am absolutely loving your posts. Thank you so much. I'm sure you will let us know when we can order your forthcoming book. I can't wait.
It's 'Endless Flight: The Life of Joseph Roth' by Keiron Pim, came out last year, published by Granta. I haven't read it... Philip Hensher's review was enough for me!
It’s infuriating when books in translation don’t properly credit the translator on the cover. If we find a translated book beautiful, it’s because of the translator’s art. Every word you read in that book was actually chosen by the translator Joachim Neugroschel: he made the vocabulary choices and structured the sentences so he deserves a bit of recognition.
I see the Trotta men as trying to live up to a standard that is impossible and imaginary. The grandfather is a peasant, who knows that the myth-making is not real. The father, who grew up in elite circles, takes it all very seriously, and the magnificent scene where he has a personal interview with the Emperor captures that. The young man tries to live up to the demands made on him, but the war destroys him and his world before he really gets started.
The old Empire is depicted, as you say, in a dreamlike way. It is flawed, but not evil, its defects were real, but it did not deserve to die a miserable death -- like most of the men and women who died in the war.
Joseph Roth is definitely one of the great elegists. I recently wrote the collapse of Austria-Hungary through the eyes of Roth, Zweig, Musil, and other writers in my last piece. You should definitely check it out!
Thanks, Sarah. I have downloaded the ebook and ordered the paperback too. Too impatent to start reading to wait for it to arrive. I love his books, I suppose because I'm part Jewish. My grandfather said that his books are true to pre-WWI Jewish life. My great grandfather was a Polish Jew who walked znd scrounged lifts on carts to walk to Paris to study. He had killed a Cossack during a pogrom and had to flee. He was defending his sister. I can live with the fact he was a louse, but an interesting writer.
Oh, wow, I have to read this. I'm a Habsburg fiend.
I would be interested in knowing the author of the biography. I'm am absolutely loving your posts. Thank you so much. I'm sure you will let us know when we can order your forthcoming book. I can't wait.
It's 'Endless Flight: The Life of Joseph Roth' by Keiron Pim, came out last year, published by Granta. I haven't read it... Philip Hensher's review was enough for me!
It’s infuriating when books in translation don’t properly credit the translator on the cover. If we find a translated book beautiful, it’s because of the translator’s art. Every word you read in that book was actually chosen by the translator Joachim Neugroschel: he made the vocabulary choices and structured the sentences so he deserves a bit of recognition.
Thank you for this, I did try to remember that I was reading an excellent translation but it slips out of my mind too easily
One of my all time favorite books.
I see the Trotta men as trying to live up to a standard that is impossible and imaginary. The grandfather is a peasant, who knows that the myth-making is not real. The father, who grew up in elite circles, takes it all very seriously, and the magnificent scene where he has a personal interview with the Emperor captures that. The young man tries to live up to the demands made on him, but the war destroys him and his world before he really gets started.
The old Empire is depicted, as you say, in a dreamlike way. It is flawed, but not evil, its defects were real, but it did not deserve to die a miserable death -- like most of the men and women who died in the war.
Such a rich post this, brilliant.
You said it in a way I never could! You're right that it's incredibly beautifully written.
Joseph Roth is definitely one of the great elegists. I recently wrote the collapse of Austria-Hungary through the eyes of Roth, Zweig, Musil, and other writers in my last piece. You should definitely check it out!
novum.substack.com/p/there-once-was-an-empire
After watching 'Legend of the Holy Drinker' I read everything that he had written. Try 'Confessions of a Murderer' next.