A gifted novelist's stimulating journey down the Danube from its source in the heart of what once was the Austro-Hungarian Empire through the Balkans to the Black Sea. The book is an intellectually charged, evocative portrait of the places and personalities of Central Europe. Magris is an erudite, cerebral guide with a penchant for history. On some level, this wholly unclassifiable book is a travelogue.  (EUR58, $16.00)

European River Cruises
Around the World in 80 Travel Books