Buchmendel by Stefan Zweig
ForumProject 1929
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1kiwidoc
Who is the author?
Stefan Zweig was a gifted Jew, born into a wealthy Viennese family in the 19th century and destined to live through the turmoil and disintegration of Europe in the 20th century. He was forced to flee Nazi Germany, took up British citizenship and eventually died in Brazil in 1942; by a double suicide with his wife.
His books:
Zweig wrote several biographies, short stories, novellas and novels. He was intensely interested in the psychological aspect to human behaviour.
Buchmendel:
This existential novella (or long short story as it is only 56 pages long) is very attractively presented by Pushkin Press and relevantly combined with another short work, The Invisible Collection. Aside from the appealing format of these novellas, reading these Zweig novellas is FUN. Both of these novellas are emotionally wrought and nostalgia infuses the pages.
The protagonist of Buchmendel is an avid bookaholic with a prodigious memory. Zweig describes Mendel as a man with:
a titanic memory, wherein, behind a dirty and undistinguished-looking forehead, was indelibly recorded a picture of the title page of every book that had been printed. No matter whether it had issued from the press yesterday or hundreds of years ago, he knew its place of publication, its author’s name, and its price. From his mind, as if from the printed page, he could read off the contents, could reproduce the illustrations; could visualise, not only what he had actually held in his hands, but also what he had glanced at in a bookseller’s window; could see it with the same vividness as an artist sees the creations of fancy which he has not yet reproduced upon canvas.
Through these stories, Zweig reminds the reader of the value and timelessness of art:
one only makes books in order to keep in touch with one’s fellows after one has ceased to breathe, and thus to defend oneself against the inexorable fate of all that lives - transitoriness and oblivion.
Indeed, his novellas are living proof of such transcendence.
Both works deal with obsession and describe men driven by an overriding interest in art or books. The collision of culture and art with the events of European 20th century history brings these cultural men into conflict with their world. They highlight societal corruption and moral decline, certainly mirroring the author’s own view of his European world.
It really is impossible to discuss the story without spoiling the enjoyment for the reader. Suffice to say, both stories in this slim volume describe the effects of chaotic political and economic times on the cultural fibre of society. They are both initiated by chance and they both contain a similar underlying theme.
I am hoping that more of you will read these stories and then the discussion can proceed. Meanwhile I will search for more works by this talented writer.
Stefan Zweig was a gifted Jew, born into a wealthy Viennese family in the 19th century and destined to live through the turmoil and disintegration of Europe in the 20th century. He was forced to flee Nazi Germany, took up British citizenship and eventually died in Brazil in 1942; by a double suicide with his wife.
His books:
Zweig wrote several biographies, short stories, novellas and novels. He was intensely interested in the psychological aspect to human behaviour.
Buchmendel:
This existential novella (or long short story as it is only 56 pages long) is very attractively presented by Pushkin Press and relevantly combined with another short work, The Invisible Collection. Aside from the appealing format of these novellas, reading these Zweig novellas is FUN. Both of these novellas are emotionally wrought and nostalgia infuses the pages.
The protagonist of Buchmendel is an avid bookaholic with a prodigious memory. Zweig describes Mendel as a man with:
a titanic memory, wherein, behind a dirty and undistinguished-looking forehead, was indelibly recorded a picture of the title page of every book that had been printed. No matter whether it had issued from the press yesterday or hundreds of years ago, he knew its place of publication, its author’s name, and its price. From his mind, as if from the printed page, he could read off the contents, could reproduce the illustrations; could visualise, not only what he had actually held in his hands, but also what he had glanced at in a bookseller’s window; could see it with the same vividness as an artist sees the creations of fancy which he has not yet reproduced upon canvas.
Through these stories, Zweig reminds the reader of the value and timelessness of art:
one only makes books in order to keep in touch with one’s fellows after one has ceased to breathe, and thus to defend oneself against the inexorable fate of all that lives - transitoriness and oblivion.
Indeed, his novellas are living proof of such transcendence.
Both works deal with obsession and describe men driven by an overriding interest in art or books. The collision of culture and art with the events of European 20th century history brings these cultural men into conflict with their world. They highlight societal corruption and moral decline, certainly mirroring the author’s own view of his European world.
It really is impossible to discuss the story without spoiling the enjoyment for the reader. Suffice to say, both stories in this slim volume describe the effects of chaotic political and economic times on the cultural fibre of society. They are both initiated by chance and they both contain a similar underlying theme.
I am hoping that more of you will read these stories and then the discussion can proceed. Meanwhile I will search for more works by this talented writer.
2christiguc
May I recommend The PostOffice Girl? It was one of my favorites last year.
3kiwidoc
Thanks christiguc - that is the only one of his books that I have already sourced. I am presently gliding through the Pushkin Press website and wishing that I could afford to press the checkout button for quite a few of his titles. There were none at the local library! Presently they will languish in the 'cyber basket'!!!
4janeajones
I remember reading a fair amount of Zweig's poetry when I was taking German in college and really enjoying his imagery. Unfortunately, I think my German is way too rusty to go back there. I didn't know he had written fiction as well -- must go check it out.
