Wondrak and other stories [Paperback]

Stefan Zweig (Author), Anthea Bell (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2009

The artist Ferdinand, central figure of Compulsion, partly reflects Zweig’s own experience. In The Snow tells of the plight of a group of Jews who freeze to death while trying to escape a medieval pogrom. In Wondrak, a woman, disfigured since birth, attempts to save her only child from being drafted into the military. In this newly available English translation, the reader discovers Zweig's essential humanist preoccupations—his compassion toward human suffering, his horror of war and his faith in idealism, generosity, and love—values that can, in an instant, illuminate an entire existence.

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About the Author

Stefan Zweig (1881–1942) was the author of Amok & Other Stories, Casanova, Confusion, Fantastic Night & Other Stories, and Twilight.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Pushkin Press; 1 edition (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1901285863
• ISBN-13: 978-1901285864
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,291,255 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three Tales on Pacifism, June 17, 2010

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An admirer of Saul "Mr Wobble" (uk) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wondrak and other stories (Paperback)

Three stories-one uncompleted. 'In the Snow'; a Towns Jews flee the fanatical Flagellants, 'Compulsion'; an artist in exile in Switzerland feels compelled to answer his call up, and the wonderous 'Wondrak', the unfinished tale of a disfigured woman trying to keep her son away from the war.

As with all Zweig's work, each tale is exceptional, bright and original. 'In the Snow' and 'Wondrak' read almost like classical fairy tales. Absolutely breathtaking.

'Wondrak' loses nothing from being 'unfinished'. It stands well how it is, the only thing being (considering the title and Zweig's use of such)that Woderak would have had far more to do in the tale had it continued.

Zweig was a convinced pacifist and spoke out against any moral justification for war; how little it means to most people expected to give up their lives for it;its invidious encroachment and unyielding bureaucracy.

In Zweig's time, war was fought solely for unjustifiable imperialistic puposes with the First World war being its zenith-a war fought for medieval ideals in a medieval fashion. But the Second World War-although having its basis in stupidity(the treaty of Versailles; political dogmas)-there surely comes a point where war is justified or needed. Although edges will always remain blurred, pure evil needs to be opposed for humanities sake. In the World away from the days of imperialistic war, total pacifism has to be questiones, although it is surely the highest of all human philosophies.

Sadly, wars are made by dangerous fools, and there's a whole world full of them out there.

Zweig, however, is a genious and a great light to follow.