Mike Mitchell Livres

Aux côtés de Hanns Heinz Ewers et Karl Hans Strobl, Gustav Meyrink a formé pendant la République de Weimar le célèbre "Dreigestirn" de la fantastique inquiétante en Allemagne. Dans un roman clé de l'expressionnisme allemand, un narrateur anonyme rêve d'événements étranges. Athanasius Pernath, un gemmologue dans le ghetto juif de Prague, se retrouve mêlé à des intrigues et tourmenté par des hallucinations. À cause d'un complot orchestré par le brocanteur Aaron Wasserturm, il est accusé de meurtre et emprisonné, perdant tout espoir jusqu'à sa libération inattendue, alors qu'il assiste à la destruction de son ghetto. En cherchant ses amis, il s'effondre et se réveille, réalisant qu'il n'a pas dormi une heure. Ses expériences n'étaient-elles qu'un rêve ? La quête de Pernath fournit des indices qui suggèrent le contraire. Bien que le titre évoque la légende juive, le Golem est pour Meyrink un symbole du ghetto juif de Prague. Le roman révèle une inclination pour l'occultisme, qui s'intensifie dans ses œuvres ultérieures.

Set in a boarding school in a remote area of the Habsburg Empire at the turn of the last century, The Confusions of Young Torless is an intense study of an adolescent's psychological development as he struggles to come to terms with his conflicting emotions. Through his relationship with two other boys Torless is led into sadistic and sexual encounters with a third pupil which both repel and fascinate him. Estranged from everyday life, Torless gradually learns to accept his experiences and describe them with analytical precision.

Set in an insane asylum, this second installment of the Studer mystery series revolves around the murder of the asylum's director. The story unfolds in a European classic style, blending suspense and psychological intrigue as the investigation reveals dark secrets hidden within the institution. The unique setting and complex characters contribute to a gripping narrative that explores themes of madness and morality.

Austrian writer Ingeborg Bachmann (1926-73) is a key figure in postwar German literature, known for her novels, poetry, and plays. Her War Diary is a collection of sketches rather than a traditional journal, reflecting the final months of World War II and the early British occupation of Austria. These powerful entries, remarkable for her young age, express her deep disdain for war and Nazism as she navigates the fervent nationalism in Klagenfurt. The British occupation introduces her to Jack Hamesh, a British officer and Jewish refugee from Vienna, who is surprised to meet an Austrian girl familiar with banned authors like Mann and Schnitzler. Their correspondence, particularly Hamesh's letters to Bachmann during his time in Israel in 1946, reveals his struggles with rootlessness after the war. War Diary offers a unique perspective on Bachmann's development as a writer and serves as a poignant reflection on life in post-war Austria. The insights from both Bachmann and Hamesh extend beyond their personal narratives, touching on broader themes of loss and recovery. The German edition has been praised for its critical commentary, highlighting the historical context and the emotional resonance of Bachmann's experiences.