The book is a reprint of a classic work first published in 1915, preserving the original content and style. It offers readers a glimpse into the themes and ideas prevalent during that era, showcasing the author's unique perspective and literary craftsmanship. This edition invites both new readers and those familiar with the text to explore its historical significance and enduring relevance.
The book is a facsimile reprint of a rare antiquarian work, preserving its historical significance despite potential imperfections like marks and flawed pages. It aims to protect and promote important literature by providing an affordable, high-quality edition that remains true to the original.
"If it be permitted to speak of ‘love at first sound,’ then that’s what I experienced in my first encounter with this poet of prose." So said Thomas Mann of the work of PeterAltenberg. A virtuoso Fin-de-Siècle Viennese innovator of what he called the "telegram style" of writing, Altenberg’s signature short prose straddles the line between the poetic and the prosaic, fiction and observation, harsh verity and whimsical vignette. Inspired by the prose poems of Charles Baudelaire and the Feuilleton—a light journalistic reflection of his day—Altenberg carved out a spare, strikingly modern aesthetic that speaks with an eerie prescience to our own impatient time. Peter Wortsman’s new selection and translation reads like a sly lyrical wink from the turnof-the-century of the telegram to the turn-of-the-millennium of email.
Selection from the Austrian poet's works, arranged by Alexander King, consisting of short sketches, tales, and reminiscences. King has added comments and 100 drawings.