All Along the Rhine: Recipes, Wine and Lore from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Holland  •  Kay Shaw Nelson CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2003 •  PAPER  • 211 PAGES A tribute to the Rhine Valley, its history, culture and especially its food. Combining over 130 authentic recipes with small bits of background information, this is a delightful introduction to the culinary traditions of the region. (GER111, $14.95)
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay  •  Michael Chabon LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 656 PAGES A dazzling tale that follows its heros from Nazi-occupied Prague to New York and the Antarctic, where US forces are stationed to keep an eye on the Germans. Houdini, the Golem, Hitler, inventor of the superhero Stan Lee and other mostly historical figues make an appearance in the lives of Chabon's protagonists Joe and Sammy. Even if you're not much interested in New York or the golden age of comic books (and are puzzled by swoops and twists of the comic-book plot), you'll appreciate Chabon's flare for language and his characters. It won a Pulitzer. (ANT175, $15.00)
Architecture of New Prague 1895-1945  •  Rostislav Svacha  •  Alexandra Buchler  •  Jan Maly ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1995 •  HARD COVER  • 544 PAGES Originally published in Czech in 1985, this groundbreaking book stakes out the first half of the 20th century as a seminal period for Czech architecture. It's a major scholarly survey of cubist, rondocubist and constructivist contributions to Prague, with site plans, excellent black-and-white photos of buildings and scholarly paraphernalia. (CZH49, $75.00)
The Arsonist  •  Egon Hostovsky  •  Christopher Morris LITERATURE •  1996 •  HARD COVER  • 165 PAGES A slippery, intriguing tale of resentment and frustration set in Zbecnov, a town of the eastern of Bohemia (not unlike the town where Hostovsky was raised). Originally published in 1935, the novel explores the town and its youth in the face of a suspicious fire. (CZH42, $17.50)
Arthur Schnitzler, Four Major Plays  •  Arthur Schnitzler  •  Carl R. Mueller LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES This collection of four plays from the Austrian writer includes "La Ronde," "Anatol," "The Green Cockatoo," and "Flirtation." (AST53, $19.95)
Austria As Theater and Ideology, The Meaning of the Salzburg Festival  •  Michael Steinberg CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2000 •  PAPER A scholarly cultural and political history of the festival and its meaning. The author, a professor of history at Cornell, traces the festival from its origins in the wake of WWI and the fall of the Habsburgs, to the Nazis' rise to power in Austria, to the 1999 speech at Salzburg by Austrian President Thomas Klestil calling for a return to traditionalist ideals. This revealing, intriguing book is in-depth and analytical, not the usual reading for travelers, but well worth the effort. (AST55, $22.95)
Avant-Guide Prague, Insiders' Guide for Urban Adventures  •  Dan Levine GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 328 PAGES Created by a former Frommer's writer who wanted to make guidebooks which were neither travel essays nor phone books, this opinionated volume packs useful, youthful information into a colorful format. Includes interviews with Czech notables, maps, photos and some of the funniest descriptions to ever grace a "guidebook." Each restaurant, shiop, hotel or site is given a nice, long description. The jazzy design, with text often printed against a dark background, looks interesteing but makes this book none too easy to read. What were they thinking? (CZH22, $19.95)
The Axe  •  Ludvik Vaculik  •  Marian Sling LITERATURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 223 PAGES A story of ideology, played out between father and son, set against the cultural reawakening of 1960's Czechoslovakia. (CZH34, $16.00)
Badenheim 1939  •  Aharon Appelfeld  •  Dalya Bilu LITERATURE •  1980 •  PAPER  • 148 PAGES A haunting tale that powerfully depicts the everyday concerns and daily life of well-to-do Jewish vacationers at a fictional resort town on the eve of the holocaust. (AST35, $12.95)
Baedeker's Austria  •  Baedeker's Travel Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  FLEXI-BOUND  • 618 PAGES The much-revised classic with map. (AST56, $25.00)
Beethoven and the Construction of Genius: Musical Politics in Vienna, 1792-1803  •  Tia DeNora ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 232 PAGES Both a probing biographical account of Beethoven's life and an insightful sociological study of "artistic genius," this engaging book examines the musical world of 18th-century Vienna, putting the work of the great composer in its cultural context. (AST25, $21.95)
Beethoven's Concertos: History, Style, Performance  •  Leon Plantinga MUSIC •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 384 PAGES An insightful source of helpful and practical information, written with color and style. (GEN165, $49.95)
The Book of Images  •  Rainer Maria Rilke  •  Edward Snow LITERATURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 280 PAGES Poems and lyrics from Rilke during his most emotional and impressionistic period (1902-1906), ably translated by Edward Snow and presented in bilingual format on facing pages. With poems reflecting on his childhood in Bohemia. (GER122, $16.00)
Bradt Guide Serbia  •  Laurence Mitchell GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES A practical guide in the popular series with good information on transportation, historical sites, and accommodations, with an extended section on Belgrade, the capital city, and a separate chapter on Kosovo. (BLK67, $24.99)
Breathing Under Water and Other East European Essays  •  Stanislaw Baranczak CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1992 •  PAPER  • 258 PAGES Poet and professor Stanislaw Baranczak, a fixture on the Eastern European intellectual scene in the second half of the 20th century, reflects on writers and writing in this collection of stimulating and insightful essays. (EUR139, $12.50)
Cadogan Guide Prague  •  Sadakat Kadri GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A comprehensive guide to Prague in the excellent British series featuring a 14-page section of full-page, full-color street maps and detailed listings of where to go and what to do. With 80 hotels and 155 restuarants, all described. (CZH48, $14.95)
Chopin in Paris, The Life and Times of the Romantic Composer  •  Tad Szulc BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 444 PAGES A biography of the famed composer, who left his Polish homeland, traveled to Vienna, and then settled for two decades in Paris, where he discovered the emerging Romantic movement. Chopin worked among the minds of Hugo, Lizt and Berlioz, and became involved in a stormy relationship with feminist writer George Sand before succumbing to tuberculosis at the age of 39. Szulc draws from a collection of correspondence and private journals in a book that emphasizes the "times," rather than the music, of Chopin. (FRN161, $20.95)
Civilization and Its Discontents  •  Sigmund Freud  •  Peter Gay HISTORY •  1989 •  PAPER The standard edition. (AST50, $12.95)
Clara's Grand Tour, Travels With a Rhinoceros in Eighteenth-century Europe  •  Glynis Ridley HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES The entertaining history of a most unusual eighteenth-century European celebrity. Clara the Indian rhinoceros was brought to Europe in 1741 by the Dutch sea captain Douwemout Van der Meer, and toured for seventeen years, to the delight of heads of state such as Louis XV and Frederick the Great. A marvelous and unique look at the introduction of Eastern wildlife into the Western world. (FRN536, $12.00)
Classical Music 101, A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Classical Music  •  Fred Plotkin MUSIC •  2002 •  PAPER  • 672 PAGES Geared to the casual, intellectually curious listener, this primer on classical music does an admirable job of describing how best to experience and appreciate the great works, both new and old. From the author of "Opera 101" (GEN175). (MUS15, $18.95)
The Compleat Brahms: A Guide to the Musical Works of Johannes Brahms  •  Leon Botstein MUSIC •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 448 PAGES A remarkable compendium of essays by Botstein and 29 collaborators. (GEN166, $35.00)
The Complete Operas of Mozart, A Critical Guide  •  Charles Osborne MUSIC •  1988 •  PAPER (MUS12, $17.95)
The Cossacks, An Illustrated History  •  John Ure HISTORY •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 288 PAGES In this lively, beautifully illustrated overview, a career diplomat (and frequent visitor to the region) explores the history of the Cossacks in Southern Russia and central Asia and their role in world affairs. With 105 color and 30 black and white illustrations. Interestingly, Ure challenges the notion that the Cossacks are no longer influential (or evident), detailing their involvement in Chechnya, Bosnia and other places. (RUS135, $45.00)
Culture Smart! Czech Republic  •  Nicole Rosenleaf Ritter GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER A concise, well-illustrated and practical guide to local customs, etiquette and culture. (CZH64, $9.95)
Czecho/Slovakia: Ethnic Conflict, Constitutional Fissure, Negotiated Breakup  •  Eric Stein HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 386 PAGES A fascinating, scholarly account of Stein's experiences consulting on constitutional reform in Czechoslovakia. A Czech-born professor of law at the University of Michigan, Stein was asked by Havel and the government to participate in drafting the democratic constitution (a process which ultimately resulted in the orderly breakup of the country). In addition to his own experiences and research, Stein interviews dozens of politicians and others about the failure to reach agreement. (CZH40, $29.95)
Dvorak and His World  •  Michael Beckerman MUSIC •  1993 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES This volume about the famed Czech composer is divided into two parts: the first is a collection of essays dealing with his relations to his country and other composers, while the second is a set of letters, early reviews, and other documents. Together, they provide an interesting view of his personal life and his influence on the world around him. (CZH23, $27.95)
Economic and Social History of Medieval Europe  •  Henri Pirenne HISTORY •  1936 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES Pirenne, an important economic historian, traces the economic and social development of Western Europe from the end of the Roman Empire to the middle of the 15th century in this classic book, first published in 1936. It gives a concise picture of medieval Western Europe, including social disturbances, economic and social catastrophes, famine and the Black Death. A separate section on the North Sea and the Baltic contains specific references to the Hanseatic League. (EUR18, $15.00)
Egon Schiele  •  Frank Whitford ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1987 •  PAPER  • 207 PAGES The life and work of an intriguing artist, who died at the young age of 27. The author delves into Schiele's troubled personal life and the surrounding atmosphere of his home in Vienna, creating a unique portrait of a man. With 151 illustrations. (GER57, $14.95)
The Engineer of Human Souls  •  Josef Skvorecky  •  Paul Wilson LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 592 PAGES This complex, entertaining novel centers on protagonist Danny Smiricky, a writer in exile, living and teaching in Canada after living under both the Nazis and the Communists. (CZH29, $14.95)
Exit into History, A Journey Through the New Eastern Europe  •  Eva Hoffman TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 410 PAGES • COMING IN In this first-hand report from Eastern Europe, Polish-born Hoffman describes changes during the years immediately following the collapse of the Soviet Union in Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. A great example of wonderful travel writing, the book goes beyond the sights and sounds to plumb the mindset of politicians, literati and everyday folk during this critical time. The Wall Street Journal called the book "refreshingly unpretentious," and we couldn't agree more. (EUR10, $14.95)
Fin-de-Siecle Vienna: Politics and Culture  •  Carl E. Schorske HISTORY •  1981 •  PAPER  • 378 PAGES Turn-of-the-century Vienna was a crucible of psychology, social theory and artistic ferment. Out of the chaos was born modern art and thought. This landmark study includes, among its luminaries, Freud, Klimt, Kokoshka and Schoenberg. (AST04, $22.95)
Flashman and the Tiger  •  George MacDonald Fraser LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES Fraser plumbs the annals of history to produce his factual, entertaining tales of folly in the service of her Majesty's empire. This 11th installment in The Flashman Papers (purportedly retrieved and not written by George Macdonald Fraser, a nice conceit), consists of three short adventures, which find our hero cavorting with Bismarck and Emperor Franz-Josef and the future Edward VI. (WAF58, $14.95)
Fodor's Prague's 25 Best  •  Fodors GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES • COMING IN DECEMBER A shirt-pocket guide to Prague, this slim book includes an outstanding map of the city as well as a brief overview of its many museums, grand buildings and other not-to-be-missed cultural attractions. (CZH02, $11.95)
Freud in Vienna and other Essays  •  Bruno Bettelheim BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1991 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A memoir of sorts, Bettelheim's collection of essays explores a range of themes and subjects that have influenced his life and his work as a child psychologist. From Freud and fin de siecle Vienna, to the Holocaust and studies of child development, he artfully mixes real life experience with intellectual reflections. (AST51, $19.00)
Golem  •  David Wisniewski  •  Lee Salsberry LITERATURE •  1996 •  HARD COVER  • 32 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) A retelling of a Jewish legend, set in Prague in the 16th century, a dark time for the city's Jewish residents. A rabbi builds a clay giant to protect his people from persecution; the golem, in this version, speaks with a child's simplicity. The remarkable paper-cutout illustrations brilliantly evoke the Prague of old, and the author includes a helpful historical note. It's suitable for 9 to 12 year-olds. (CZH38, $17.00)
The Golem  •  Gustave Meyrink LITERATURE •  1990 •  PAPER  • 190 PAGES The famous mystical, terrifying novel of the supernatural set in Prague's Jewish Ghetto in 1890. (CZH41, $9.95)
The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral  •  Robert A. Scott ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 307 PAGES Scott, whose interest in the history of cathedrals began when he first saw the magnificent Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Salisbury, England, takes his reader on a historical, architectural and sociological tour of the magnificent spires and stained-glass windows that dot the landscape of Europe. It's an accessible, personable overview. (EUR190, $17.95)
Hands Around, A Cycle of Ten Dialogues  •  Arthur Schnitzler LITERATURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 60 PAGES This controversial play was suppressed by Austrian censors in 1897 and the Prussian Ministry of Culture after its Berlin premier in 1920. The ten dialogues form a cycle chronicling superficial sexual encounters in the absence of true love. Recently revived on Broadway as "The Blue Room." (AST42, $1.00)
The Haunted Land, Facing Europe's Ghosts After Communism  •  Tina Rosenberg CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1996 •  PAPER  • 437 PAGES In this groundbreaking book, a journalist reports on how the newly democratized people of East Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic have confronted the horrors of their former governments. Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award. (EUR54, $16.95)
Here Is Where We Meet  •  John Berger LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES This novel weaves a portrait of several European countries through encounters with the dead, from the narrator's mother, whom he discovers on a park bench in Lisbon, to a childhood friend wandering a market in Krakow. "The dead don't stay where they are buried," the protagonist's mother tells him, and this becomes the mantra for this most unusual journey through Europe's history and people. (EUR189, $14.00)
Historical Atlas of Central Europe  •  Paul Mogocsi HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 232 PAGES An influential, authoritative survey of maps and shifting borders in the region from the Middle Ages until the present. With dozens of superb color maps illuminating the history and ethnic complexity of this bewildering part of the world. The atlas covers the region from Poland, Lithuania, and the eastern part of Germany to Greece and western Turkey and extends in time from the early fifth century to the present. (EUR33, $45.00)
The History of Eastern Europe for Beginners  •  Paul Beck HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 186 PAGES • COMING IN An irreverent tour of recent Eastern European history in documentary comic-book style, a provocative, fast-moving and opinionated look at who is in conflict with whom and why, nationhood, ethnicity and the future. (EUR30, $11.00)
Hitler and the Holocaust  •  Robert S. Wistrich HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 295 PAGES A short history of the cultural and political circumstances surrounding the genocide of the Jews. Wistrich looks closely at Anti-Semitism in Germany, Europe and abroad in an attempt to understand the evil unleashed during World War II, cautioning that we must be always vigilant about intolerance. (EUR114, $13.95)
Homestead  •  Rosini Lippi LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 210 PAGES Set firmly in a small village in the Austrian Alps, these 12 interlinking stories are almost ethnographic in their rich detail of small town life. The stories range from the turn-of-the-century to the present, accurately charting change in the remote region of Andelsbuch, Egg and Grossdorf. The author spent four years among the villages of the Bregenz forest collecting information on the local dialect. Winner of the Pen/Hemingway Award. (ALP11, $13.00)
An Illustrated History of the First World War  •  John Keegan HISTORY •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 448 PAGES • COMING IN An illustrated edition of Keegan's outstanding history of the Great War, considerably enhanced by his selection of almost 500 photographs, maps, drawings and illustrations. The visuals clarify and augment his wide-ranging narrative of the origins, battles and consequences of WWI. (WAR16, $50.00)
Insight Guide Austria  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 351 PAGES A volume in the award-winning Insight series, this guide is noted for its wonderful photography, superb production and informative short essays. It is a highly recommended introduction to Austrian history and culture -- as well as a good overview of popular destinations. (AST29, $23.95)
The Joke  •  Milan Kundera LITERATURE •  1993 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES In this novel a student in Communist Czechoslovakia is imprisoned when he sends a postcard to his girlfriend -- "Optimism is the opium of the masses!…Long live Trotsky!" Years later, he comes up with a plan for revenge. (CZH36, $13.95)
Kafka's Milena  •  Jane Cerna  •  A. G. Brain  •  George Gibian BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1993 •  PAPER  • 205 PAGES Milena, who kept a long-term correspondence with Franz Kafka, was a legend a legend and household name in 1930s Prague. This is her biography, as written by her daughter. (CZH35, $18.00)
Kafka's Prague, A Travel Reader  •  Klaus Wagenbach GUIDEBOOK •  1996 •  HARD COVER  • 125 PAGES Cleverly organized as a city guide, this handsome volume takes the reader on a tour of Kafka's Prague. With period photos, memoirs and excepts from his writings, the Kafka lover or anyone interested in turn-of-the-century Prague will find this book a fascinating companion. Opening with a biography of the famous Czech author, the subsequent chapters are designed to give the reader a personal walking tour through the Prague Kafka knew best. An unusual alternative to the standard tour book format. (CZH03, $21.95)
Karen Brown's Austria, Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries  •  Karen, Clare and June Brown GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 214 PAGES A survey of inns, castles and other lodging of character, along with suggested itineraries and highlights of Austria. With sketch maps and black-and-white drawings throughout. (AST46, $19.95)
Lieutenant Gustl  •  Arthur Schnitzler  •  Richard L. Simon LITERATURE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 56 PAGES Schnitzler's novella takes the form of an interior monologue of a pessimistic (and ultimately suicidal) lieutenant who is bored at the opera. (AST54, $9.95)
Life with a Star  •  Jiri Weil  •  Philip Roth LITERATURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES A fictional account of the Holocaust told through the story of a young Czech Jew, the bank teller Roubicek. Philip Roth provides the introduction to this outstanding portrait of life in Nazi-occupied Prague. (CZH43, $19.00)
A Listener's Guide to Mozart's Great Operas  •  Patrick Cairns Hughes  •  Spike Hughes MUSIC •  1972 •  PAPER  • 245 PAGES (MUS11, $7.95)
Living in Freedom. The New Prague  •  Mark Sommer TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 261 PAGES Based on Sommers's visits to Prague both before and after the Velvet Revolution of 1989, this portrait blends history, travel narrative and political commentary. (CZH26, $11.95)
The Lonely Empress, A Biography of Elisabeth of Austria  •  Joan Haslip BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 462 PAGES An authoritative biography of the free spirited empress consort of Austria who presided over the Habsburg court from 1854 until her assassination in 1898. An avid traveler and lover of sport, Elisabeth, also known as Sisi, was wife to emperor Franz Joseph and mother to Crown Prince Rudolph. Originally published in 1965. (AST81, $19.95)
Lonely Planet Central Europe  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 640 PAGES A comprehensive guide to Central Europe, including Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. It is a compact overview of the region, especially appropriate for the independent-minded traveler visiting several countries. With local and regional maps, a section of color photographs, and information on history, culture and attractions. (EUR94, $28.99)
Lonely Planet Czech and Slovak Republics  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 488 PAGES In the hallmark Lonely Planet style, this practical guide to the Czech Republic and Slovakia features 95 maps, a good overview of culture, history and nature, and much nuts-and-bolts information on excursions, accommodations and sightseeing. With color photographs and excellent travel information. (CZH07, $22.99)
The Magic Lantern, The Revolution of '89 Witnessed in Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin, and Prague  •  Timothy Garton Ash HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 167 PAGES A vividly reported eyewitness account of the fall of the Berlin Wall and other dramatic events of 1989 by an astute journalist and historian of Central Europe. With a chapter each on Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin and Prague, it's a good introduction to these vibrant cities during a time of great change. (GER36, $13.95)
Mammals of Europe  •  Priscilla Barrett  •  David W. MacDonald FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Published by Princeton, this is a field guide to land and marine mammals throughout Europe, both endemic and introduced. With more than 600 color illustrations of over 200 mammals, it's a comprehensive handbook, with detailed descriptions, range maps and commentary on behavior. (FG61, $34.95)
The Man in the Box  •  Thomas Moran LITERATURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES A story of the human spirit and the rite of passage, set in a small Austrian village during World War II, told through the eyes of an adolescent Niki. Niki's family takes on a task of the highest secrecy: hiding a Jew. (AST41, $12.00)
The Man Without Qualities: Volume I, A Short Introduction and Pseudoreality Prevails  •  Robert Musil  •  Sophie Wilkins  •  Burton Pike LITERATURE •  1996 •  PAPER The first volume in German author Robert Musil's unfinished epic masterpiece, set just before World War I in Vienna. Part of a two volume set restored with a new translation and including, for the first time in English, the complete existing text, it is the story of a former soldier who finds himself at the center of the crumbling Austro-Hungarian Empire. The second volume is also available (AST38). (AST37, $22.00)
The Man Without Qualities: Volume II, Into the Millennium and from the Posthumous Papers  •  Robert Musil  •  Sophie Wilkins  •  Burton Pike LITERATURE •  1996 •  PAPER The second of two volumes in Musil's sprawling story of pre-World War I Vienna and the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Musil died before he could complete the entire epic, but this new translation incorporates all the text he ever wrote. Volume I is also available (AST37). (AST38, $26.00)
Memoirs of an Anti-Semite, A Novel in Five Stories  •  Gregor Von Rezzori LITERATURE •  1991 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES Set against a backdrop of Central Europe between the wars, these five connected stories follow the fate of a young Romanian -- and his tense, vacillating relationship with Jews (including his own Jewish wife). Originally serialized in the New Yorker in 1969, it's a brilliant, disturbing book. Born in Bukovina in the Capathian mountains, Rezzori's many novels and essays address shifting notions of identity in Central Europe since WWI. (CEU27, $19.00)
Mozart  •  Peggy Woodford BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1990 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES Part of "The Illustrated Lives of the Great Compos-ers Series," this book is a concise account of the life and work of the famous Austrian composer, with much of the information drawn from his own writ-ings and correspondences. (AST44, $19.95)
Mozart, A Cultural Biography  •  Robert W. Gutman BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 864 PAGES By delving into the political, intellectual and artistic forces that shaped 18th-century Europe, Gutman reveals a new interpretation of this luminous musician in this affectionate biography. Gutman's Mozart is a complex one, influenced greatly by both his relationship with his domineering father and the political and cultural upheavals of the day. An astute analysis of Mozart's most famous works is also included. (AST34, $25.00)
Mozart, A Life  •  Maynard Solomon BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 640 PAGES A celebrated biography of Mozart, reflecting also on the life and times of 18th century Salzburg. Solomon, who previously wrote a biography of Beethoven, here tears down the myth of Mozart as the "eternal child," while adding great depth to the psychological and artistic development of the musical genius who died at the age of 35. Fully illustrated. (AST06, $22.95)
National Geographic Traveler, Prague and The Czech Republic  •  Stephen Brook GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES A comprehensive guide to the area's artistic, historical and cultural landmarks, complete with detailed maps and full-color photos. (CZH55, $25.95)
The New Grove Second Viennese School  •  Oliver Neighbour  •  Paul Griffiths  •  George Perle ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 201 PAGES A study of the Viennese School of musical innovators, Arnold Schoenberg, Anton von Webern and Alban Berg. Through their experimentation they would develop the truly 20th-century "12-note," or "serial," technique. (AST26, $16.95)
Night Games, and other Stories and Novellas  •  Arthur Schnitzler  •  Margaret A. Schaefer LITERATURE •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 288 PAGES Nine stories and novellas from the Viennese modernist, plumbing the psychological depths of sex, love and death. Along with the title tale, it contains "Dream Story," the source of inspiration for Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut." (AST52, $28.50)
On Foot to the Golden Horn: A Walk to Istanbul  •  Jason Goodwin TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 278 PAGES An outstanding travel writer and journalist, Goodwin interweaves history, incident and reflection in this excellent portrait of Central Europe. With chapters on Cracow, Slovakia, Budapest, Transylvania, Brasov and Bulgaria. (EUR81, $15.00)
Opera 101, A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera  •  Fred Plotkin  •  Placido Domingo MUSIC •  1994 •  PAPER  • 494 PAGES A well-written introduction to opera, this volume includes a brief history of the art form, a guide to operatic terms and a review of 11 famous operas. With an introduction by Placido Domingo. (GEN175, $16.95)
The Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of Eastern Europe  •  Dennis Hupchick  •  Harold Cox HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 130 PAGES • COMING IN The changing borders and complex history of Eastern Europe as told through 52 maps and accompanying essays, organized chronologically. An excellent reference, the book shows the rise of Poland, changing borders of the Ottoman Empire, Hapsburgs and fate of Yugoslavia in admirable clarity. (EUR138, $19.95)
The Penguin Concise Guide to Opera  •  Amanda Holden REFERENCE •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 530 PAGES An essential reference for the opera enthusiast. Well organized, with short descriptions of plots, characters, performances and historical background. (MUS01, $20.00)
The Piano Teacher  •  Elfriede Jelinek LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES This controversial novel, the first of Elfriede Jelinek's published in English, is not for the faint of heart. Written in the present tense, it tells the story of a piano teacher at the Viennese Conservatory who finds herself drawn into a bizarre, violent love triangle. For those not put off by graphic descriptions of sex and violence, this is a powerful story -- terrifying and darkly comic. (AST36, $12.00)
Pilgrimages, The Great Adventure of the Middle Ages  •  John Ure HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES (EUR202, $15.95)
Prague Map  •  Borch Maps 2006 •  MAP An easy-to-use, laminated, detailed map of the center of Prague at a scale of 1:10,000. The city's major attractions are clearly indicated and a street index is included. (CZH13, $7.95)
The Radetzky March  •  Joseph Roth  •  Joachim Neugroschel LITERATURE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 331 PAGES First published in 1932, this powerful novel spins a tale of three generations of the Trotta family set against the waning days of the Habsburg Empire. A neglected masterpiece, this translation captures the historical sweep, close observations and irony of the German original. (AST17, $16.95)
Return to Diversity: A Political History of East Central Europe Since World War II  •  Joseph Rothschild HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 338 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE An opinionated, well-written and clear political history of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania since WWII, completely revised for this third edition to reflect post-Soviet realities. (EUR31, $34.95)
Rick Steves' French, Italian & German Phrase Book & Dictionary  •  Rick Steves LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2003 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A compact phrase book for travelers, organized thematically and with a brief dictionary. French, German and Italian phrases are side-by-side on the page so that you can pick and choose depending on the situation. This is no dry litany but instead peppered with humor and Rick Steves' insider insight into how to break the ice and make friends around the world. (EUR142, $9.95)
Rick Steves' German Phrase Book & Dictionary  •  Rick Steves LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  1999 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES A compact phrase book for travelers, organized thematically and with a brief dictionary. This is no dry litany of phrases but is instead peppered with humor and Rick Steves' insider insight into how to break the ice and make friends around the world. (GER125, $7.95)
The Right Hand of Sleep  •  John Wray LITERATURE •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 336 PAGES (AST48, $24.00)
The Road into the Open  •  Arthur Schnitzler  •  Roger Byers  •  Russell A. Berman LITERATURE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 314 PAGES Set in fin-de-siecle Vienna, this novel, about the death of Austrian liberal society in an atmosphere of nationalism and anti-Semitism, features a handsome composer's encounters with intellectuals and artists. It is a novel of Vienna on the verge of collapse, as Zionists flee to Palestine and nationalists to Germany. The book also examines the Viennese intellectual community, post-Wagnerian music and the psychology of Vienna's middle classes. One of the most widely read German language writers of the 20th century, Schnitzler shows that no road into the open is likely to lead anywhere but to destruction. (AST02, $21.95)
Rough Guide Prague  •  Rob Humphreys  •  David Charap GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 348 PAGES A no-nonsense, opinionated travel guide to Prague aimed at independent-minded travelers. It includes maps, a good cultural and historical overview and a great bibliography. (CZH21, $18.99)
Rudolf II and Prague, The Court and the City  •  Jaroslava Hausenblasova  •  Eliska Fucikova  •  James M. Bradburne  •  Beket Bukovinska HISTORY •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 784 PAGES Published in conjunction with a 1996 exhibition, this is an extensive survey of the art, music and science in Prague that was encouraged by the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II. This oversize book contains 1,500 illustrations, 250 of which are in color. (CZH20, $75.00)
Schlepping Through the Alps, My Search for Austria's Jewish Past with Its Last Wandering Shepherd  •  Sam Apple TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A hilarious and touching exploration of history, tradition and sheep. This is a young New Yorker's account of his travels in Austria with Hans Breuer, a "peripatetic philosopher" who sings Yiddish folk songs to his sheep as he wanders. Admittedly a comic quest, Apple nonetheless delves into some of the darker corners of Austria's history -- its anti-Semitism and role in World War II. (AST74, $14.95)
Schubert's Vienna  •  Raymond Erickson HISTORY •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 304 PAGES A scholarly view of Vienna at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th with essays by a variety of contributors on Viennese politics, social issues, culture, and, of course, music. With 160 well integrated illustrations, 20 in color. (AST18, $45.00)
The Spirit of Prague  •  Ivan Klima HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 188 PAGES • COMING IN A collection of essays by the renowned Czech novelist charting the history of Prague from World War II to the Velvet Revolution. While mostly about the city, literature and politics, the essays explore Klima's own history, his childhood experience in a Nazi concentration camp. (CZH05, $12.95)
The Story of the Trapp Family Singers  •  Maria von Trapp BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2001 •  PAPER  • 312 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE Fans of the movie musical "The Sound of Music" will be interested to learn the true story of the von Trapp family singers, as remembered by Maria von Trapp herself. Maria was indeed a novice nun, but there ends her resemblance to the Julie Andrews character. Her autobiography reveals a likelier, but still crowd-pleasing, story of life in pre-Anschluss Salzburg. (AST47, $13.95)
Summer Meditations  •  Vaclav Havel  •  Paul Wilson BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1993 •  PAPER  • 180 PAGES The playwright-cum-statesman exhibits his intellectual and moral gravitas in this collection of thoughts on such topics as the responsibilities of independence, the moral foundation of society, and the future of the Czech Republic. (CZH33, $13.00)
Time's Magpie, A Walk in Prague  •  Myla Goldberg TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 140 PAGES A tour of Prague by the bestselling author of "Bee Season." A volume in the Crown Journeys series. (CZH58, $16.00)
Travelers' Tales Prague And the Czech Republic, True Stories  •  David Farley  •  Jessie Sholl ANTHOLOGY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 356 PAGES A well-chosen selection of mostly modern tales of intrigue, adventure and fun. With contributions by Myla Goldberg, Helen Epstein, Jan Morris, and Francine Prose. (CZH60, $17.95)
Travelers' Tales, A Woman's Europe  •  Marybeth Bond  •  Mary Morris ANTHOLOGY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES This entertaining collection depicts Europe through the eyes of a diverse group of women writers, including Frances Mayes, Jan Morris and Mary Morris. These humorous and well-written true stories capture the misadventures, discoveries and slices of life that the continent (and travel!) has to offer. (EUR160, $17.95)
The Trial, A New Translation Based on the Restored Text  •  Franz Kafka  •  Breon Mitchell LITERATURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 281 PAGES Kafka's chilling novel of an unjust trial in a totalitarian state, in which the defendant is never told who has charged him, or why. (CZH46, $13.50)
Twentieth Century Opera, A Guide  •  George Martin MUSIC •  1999 •  PAPER  • 703 PAGES First published in 1979, and now in it's fourth edition, this survey of 20th century opera contains thoughtful essays, as well as capsule descriptions of 90 of the century's best operas. (MUS02, $25.00)
Twilight of the Habsburgs, The Life and Times of Emperor Francis Joseph  •  Alan Palmer HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES In this vivid biography and history, Palmer sketches the culture and politics of the now-vanished world of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Franz Josef ruled as the emperor of Austria and king of Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, and Slavonia from 1848 until his death in 1916 . (AST14, $15.00)
Woman from Hamburg And Other True Stories  •  Hanna Krall  •  Madeline G. Levine BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES A journalist from Warsaw born in 1937, Krall reveals the lives and strange trajectories of her compatriots in these stories, profiles and interviews of survivors of WWII. (PLD49, $14.95)
A World Lit Only By Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance, Portrait of an Age  •  William Manchester HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 322 PAGES In this wide-ranging study, Manchester evokes in vivid detail the great figures and daily life of the 16th century, with information on Henry VIII, Magellan, Borgia, da Vinci and Martin Luther. This is his 18th book and Manchester knows how to tell a great story. It's divided into three sections: Renaissance, Reformation and Discovery. (EUR06, $15.99)
Yiddish Folktales  •  Beatrice Weinreich LITERATURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 413 PAGES A collection of 178 Yiddish tales, many just a paragraph or two, gathered from throughout Eastern Europe as part of a project by the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in the 1920s and 30s. (CEU33, $18.00)