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4.0 out of 5 stars
The interesting tale of Mark Twain's residence in fin-de-siecle Vienna,
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This review is from: Our Famous Guest: Mark Twain in Vienna (Hardcover)
In 1897-1898, Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) lived in and around Vienna for almost two years. As one of the world's most famous writers, he was an instant celebrity. He also experienced the city deeply, becoming acquainted with many of the personalities who made up remarkable fin-de-siecle Vienna.
Dolmetsch tells this story, arguing that these experiences also shaped Twain's later writings. These writings are darker than Twain's most well-known middle period, and critics have traditionally attributed this change to personal tragedies. Without denying that, Dolmetsch shows also that the particular style and themes of later writing also reflected Viennese elements such as aphoristic writing, impressionism, solipsism and nihilism. As a fan of both Twain and Vienna, I'm surprised I hadn't run across this book earlier. This period of Twain's life has never been a secret - - his essay, "Stirring Times in Austria," is well-known. Dolmetsch goes further, connecting the dots that should have been noticed before. It's written in an accessible academic style, and well worth reading if you are interested in either Mark Twain or Vienna. |
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Our Famous Guest: Mark Twain in Vienna by Carl Dolmetsch (Hardcover - Oct. 1992)
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