Ignore the Kirkus Review and see what readers have to say. This is an extraordinary book. I read it perhaps two years ago, but it is unforgettable. One of the most enjoyable reads I've ever had. And a most unusual story. The life of a submariner in the Austro-Hungarian navy in the first world war? I think I learned a lot (the author is a scholar specializing in the history of that region) and it was a terribly amusing but realistic tale. I loaned it to a colleague with a love for sea stories, and he read it immediately and voraciously and was upset to find it was out-of-print as he wanted to send copies to friends. I rarely read books twice, but this is one I'd like to return to again and again.

One of my favourite novels of the past decade. I think I've read it more than a dozen times and the appeal never fades. Not a conventional war story by any means, the book it most closely reminds me of, strangely, is Joseph Heller's classic "Catch 22". Although the books are poles apart, they are both concerned with the absurdity of war, but whereas "Catch 22" is black and manic, "A Sailor of Austria" is gently sardonic. Biggins accurately conveys the crumbling pretensions of the Austro-Hungarian empire and the utter meaninglessness of its military efforts in this tepid backwater of the War to end all Wars. Part of the allure of the story for me was the very obscurity of the campaign Biggins is describing. Prior to reading this I had no idea that Austro-Hungary even had a navy, let alone a submarine fleet. The depth of Biggin's research is obvious and extremely impressive. His hero and narrator, Otto Prohaska, is a likeable sea-dog, with a healthy cynicism regarding the doddering Empire he serves, but whose loyalty to that same crumbling edifice remains steadfast until it literally falls to pieces around him. The final scenes aboard his submarine as the Austro-Hungarian flag is taken down for the last time and his crew prepares to break up are among the the most moving in the book. The book has plenty more to recommend it - humour, romance, intrigue, in short a must-read for anyone interested in war and the sea.

This is more than just a war story, or a sea saga, though it is those things as well. It is an engrossing, sometimes comic, sometimes tragic novel about a time and situation of which the general reader knows very little. It is one of the best works of fiction of its sort that I have read.

In the early years of the Twentieth Century the Austro-Hungarian Empire covered much of central and eastern Europe. It encompassed Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ukrainians, Italians, Slovenes, Croats, Bosnians and many other peoples, yes even Austrians and Hungarians, under the rule of the emperor in Vienna. The various groups enjoyed reasonable liberty and prosperity for the time, and respect for their own languages and cultures, as long as they remembered where their ultimate loyalty lay. It is fashionable now to call the Austro-Hungarian Empire "ramshackle", and it was being weakened from within by nationalisms even before the First World War, but when one looks at what has succeeded it one has to ask whether it was really such a bad thing.

The hero of the book Ottokar Prohaska is a Czech, from an inland part of the Empire who decides, rather unusually for his people, to make a career in the navy. Like his fellow professionals he, in the parlance of the time, puts off his nationality when he puts on the Emperor's coat i.e. his uniform. However he has to work with people from many backgrounds and their interaction is party of the charm, of the book.

Prohaska is somewhat cynical but ultimately loyal to the Empire. He serves with distinction and during the First World War commands a submarine. His experiences bring out the tensions, the excitement, the tragedy, and the occasional comedy, of wartime. The end of the book comes at the end of the war. The scene as the imperial flag is pulled down for the last time and the once-united crew start to go their own ways to their own new nations arising out of the ruins of the Empire is deeply moving.

This book is written in a style similar to a series of short stories. Colonel Podhajsky passes along some of the lessons he has learned from his four legged teachers that any horse person can understand. It is like listening to a friend speak of his experiences rather than studying a textbook. This makes the book both entertaining and educational. What a pleasure to read!

Have you ever wondered what happened to the Spanish riding school when Hitler matched across Europe? Without this man the riding school might not have survived. An under rated horseman. His explainations on dressage are insightful. A very useful book, absorbing even if you don't ride. The photos sometimes leave something to be desired but in somecases they are 80 years old. Wonderful book a pity the rest of his books aren't still in print.

Highly recommended! This guy is the Tom Dorrance of the classical dressage world. I think everyone involved with horses should read this book.

Wow! This book if full of adventure and suspense! The plot is unique and very interesting! I think anyone of any age would enjoy reading this book. It involves likeable characters (especially Con), and religion. Pick up a copy of SECRET OF THE MEZUZAH now! :o) HAPPY READING!

This book is a great beggining for Con's adventures. You get sucked into the book as soon as you start reading. It makes you not want to stop reading it until you are done, but sad when you finish it.

Secret of the Mezuzah is written for young adults, but was very interesting and enjoyable reading for me, a forty-something adult. I appreciated the history included with the present day setting. The characters are engaging and believable. I would recommend this book to adults and certainly to young adults! Fiction, but not fantasy, events that could have taken place and lessons to apply about the people in our lives and around the world.

Nobody has ever described feelings, the deepest human emotions, like Stefan Zweig did. I think he was the most gifted German language writer, a psychologist as well as a historian and it is a shame that there are not more translations of his work into English available. Forget everything you have ever read before and dive into the world of an obsessed mind in "the Royal game", the turmoil between moral and guilt in "Amok" and the most wonderful and sad story of an unfulfilled love in the "Letter from an unknown woman". This is as good as literature gets, even brilliant when translated from another language. To be able to read more of his work would be a reason for learning German!

I think the best advice I can give is to READ THIS BOOK.

It is a wonderful collection of human feelings and emotions, and it makes you feel, understand and love the characters portrayed in each story.

In particular, Letter from an Unknowned Woman is the best love story I have read. It is simple, short, dramatic, unexpected and so profound, I am still in awe at what I read.

Zweig is a brilliant author, and even when translated his books maintain this magical aura that simply makes them shine.

Don't pass up the opportunity, you won't be disappointed.

Each of the novellas composing this book would need an independant review to give truth to it. I'm surprised at the Editor's selection of novellas and i'm still wondering why they've been put together...

The Master Game is a story about the power of the mind - and our adaptability in traumatic situations. And it is centered on a game... But I ain't say no more!
The Letter from an unknown woman tells the tragic destiny of an unknown adolescent love. A true romance hidden for more than ten years...

Overall an excellent book, but if you don't know Stefan Zweig, that might be a difficult introduction to his work. Try Amok first!

As the other reviewers have already stated, this is an action packed adventure of a young man fleeing the Nazis. Leo fled from his native Vienna, to Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, France,and Switzerland. In this book, he describes the Austrians as welcome participants in the Holocaust and not as the victims. Austrians treat themselves as the first victims of Hitler's aggression rather than the willing helpers of Hitler. As he fled, other nations tried to avoid Hitler's refugees. No one welcomed the outcasts from the Hitler regime.
One comment about the nature of this book. Most of the victims did not know what was going to happen when they embarked on the train journey to the camps. Leo states it in the narrative. I don't think even he knew, other than the future was bleak. It lessens the story narrative as he pictures the death that awaits these people. This should have been told at the end.
This is a great book to read. It shows the suffering of the Jews and those who opposed Hitler.

full of surprises, turnes and twists is this true story of World War 11. My heart pounded as I read Leo's harrowing tale of escape. It is with both pleasure and pride to say that I personally know this man. He has been a friend of my family for many years. I never knew the true extent of what he had to endure just to survive until I read this book.

I came across this book at a Baltimore bookstore on the day the authors were doing a signing, and was very pleased. This is the story of a young Jewish man and his flight for life across Europe during the Nazi invasion. The book is gripping as Mr. Bretholz is dealt one fate after another during his many attempts to outrun the Nazis. The tension mounts as you follow Mr. Bretholz through the horrifying adventure of Nazi Germany and run in his footsteps. I've read numerous books about World War II, but this is the first that to give me a true sense of seeing the horror first hand as it unfolded. It is a tragic personal adventure that will bring you to tears as you experience the inhumanities and tragedies of the war and then share in the author's final triumph of coming to America. I've read two memoirs this year, this one and Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes. While they are two very different tragic stories, they are among the better books I have read in quite some time.

This is a great book for young adults. Full of suspense and characteristic flairs. Mary Stewart brings alive the silent countryside of Austria with this thriller.

Mary Stewart's Ivy Tree got me hooked on reading and I've read every book she's written. The villain in this book is so memorable I have always remembered his name. This book like all of her books marries romance and mystery but in a way no modern books do, it is romance, not sex. All of her books give you information on either classic works or other historic backgrounds, like the Spanish Riding School, that I got big points from my Humanities teachers from things I learned from Mary Stewart, I never told them how I knew the information. This is one of her best, the people are memorable and the horse is miraculous. Just a treat all round. Read all her mysteries you can't go wrong

Like other reviewers, I read most of Mary Stewart's novels as a teenager when they were called "Gothics". Nine Coaches Waiting and Wildfire at Midnight were wonderful, and among my favorites, but Airs Above the Ground lingers in my memory as the best of Mary Stewart's works. The scene with the old horse on the hillside gives me chills and brings tears to my eyes every time I read it, or even think about it. I went to see the Lippizaners in Austria just because of the influence of this book. Read it--you won't be disappointed.

Jewish Julie Weiss is 12 and a half and lives a luxurious, comfortable life in Vienna until Hitler invades Austria and the Jews are discriminated. The Weiss family suffers rejection and spite from friends and neighbors turned pro-Hitler, even though they are non-practicing Jews. Nazis come to the Weiss home one night and all of Julie's family BUT herself is taken outside. They come back unharmed but changed. This event forces her older brother Max to leave the country and her mother to later commit suicide. Her father still tries to keep a positive outlook on everything, and says Julie must go to America, where she will be safe with her mother's sister and her husband. In Part 1, Julie's entries are at first mostly about her school life and worries that a girl her social status might have, but are emotional and full of descriptions of violence against Jews. In the beginning of Part 2 she is still afraid, sad and frozen but things get brighter for her in New York, especially when she lands a part in a stage play. Overall a very good read and a big improvement from Mr. Denenberg's other DA books.

I loved this book! Although I am not Jewish, this book reminded me of my family. Julie, or her father's "precious jewel", tells the tale of her life in Austria during World War 2. I never really realized the pain and horror of being there in 1938 before I read this wonderful book. Some of the other books in the Dear America talk about being Jewish during World War 2, but never in the eyes of someone who was young like me.

I suggest that anyone who wishes a tale of heart, acting, pain, terror, and finding happiness in home,read this book. You have my word that you will LOVE this book and it will ALWAYS keep you excited!

The book One Eye Laughing, the Other Weeping: The Diary of Julie Weiss by Barry Deneberg was overall a pretty good book.
It was about a young Jewish girl named Julie who lived in Vienna, Austria during the Holocaust. She lived with her mother, father, and older brother in a nice apartment. After Hitler took over Austria, Julie's life took a big turn. She escaped the horrors of the Holocaust and concentration camps when her father decided that she was going to go live with her aunt and uncle in New York. She had to cope with the many changes of her new life in America, and had to live without her family, who remained living in Austria. Although Julie missed her family a lot, her aunt and uncle took her in as if she were their own.
Julie's Aunt Clara was an actress who performed in many Broadway productions. While helping her aunt practice her lines for the play she was in, Julie was asked by the director to also star in the play Peter Pan as Wendy Darling. Julie took the opportunity and did so well that her and her Aunt Clara were asked to play mother and daughter again in the Broadway production of Our Town.
All in all, One Eye Laughing, the Other Weeping: The Diary of Julie Weiss was a very interesting book and easy to follow. It is recommend for those who would like to read about a young girl's thoughts and feelings during the Holocaust.

The format of this book is wonderful -- the pages unfold to become full 20x22" images. This is a perfect size for a poster or teaching aid -- IF the image quality weren't so poor! I wanted to like this book, really... but I've seen Klimt's work in person as well as in many other books, and the reproductions here are just so dull and grainy. Rich violets appear brown; the firey red hair in several pieces looks very subdued. "The Kiss", shown on the front cover, shows the couple with skin that is positively green. And the golds that Klimt is famous for, while I appreciate that they must be difficult to photograph, just do not come across.

I would have gladly paid more for this book if the publishers could have reproduced it better. It is obvious they intended this to be a picture book -- there are literally only two pages of writing -- so it would make sense to give the best reproductions possible! Even using a glossy paper instead of the dull matte finish would have given a better presentation.

If you are interested in truly appreciating Klimt and his work, I would recommend Taschen's posterbook for large, good quality reproductions. I also would recommend "Silver, Gold, and Precious Stones" from the Adventures in Art Series. This is geared toward a younger audience, but it beautifully laid out and presented, and actually uses a gold finish on the areas with gold leaf (nice touch!).

I had no knowledge of this artist before receiving this book as a Christmas gift. What a wonderful, enlightening book!

The book has large plates of about 40 works, and smaller black and white prints of some others (including a number that were destroyed in a 1945 fire). The contrast between the exquisitely expressive faces, drawn with the precision of a renaissance master, and the wild, unrestrained clothing and background is captivating.

The author provides a good biography and helpful insights into the allegorical interpretation of the various works. A real bargain here.

klimt's work is endlessly fascinating... its eroticism, its mythological references, its composition. klimt captures the power and symbolism of color and shape in a way that is unique amongst artists in the canon. his images are not merely pictures of women (and a few men), but stories with complicated layers of meaning. all this delicate beauty could be easily lost in printing, but this book has somehow managed to preserve it, and it is amazing! the text gives biographical and historical context, which is always helpful, and even ventures into analysis -- i enjoy knowing other people's perspectives, because it helps me to read deeper into what i'm seeing. all the master works are here, as well as many treasures that are often overlooked. if you are interested in art nouveau, art history, symbolism in art, and/or art history you really should own this book. believe me, it is well worth the price -- i wasn't expecting much for (the price), and would have willingly paid much more. i wish i had it in hardback though...

Written about the "headstrong" Austrian archduchess Maria Antonia (as the future Queen of France was called as a child), this book portrays her as a girl who wants to be herself. Tired of her mother's incessant attempts to mold her into a beautiful, ladylike Queen, Maria Antonia just wants a chance to develop her own character and make decisions for herself. This book also deals with Maria Antonia's marriage to Louis XVI, the Dauphin (or Crown Prince) of France. Maria Antonia has been meticulously prepped so that she will make a good impression on the Dauphin and his grandfather, the incumbent French monarch. However, when she actually meets her fiance, Maria Antonia discovers to her shock (and horror) that he is not at all handsome and that he is overweight--which is completely the opposite of what she was expecting him to look like. But Maria Antonia and her husband grow closer throughout the final third of the book and become good friends at last. They are on the verge of falling in love when the book ends. Maria Antonia also has to deal with Countess du Barry, the King's mistress. Du Barry is unfriendly to Maria Antonia and goes out of her way to insult the young Dauphine. In spite of this, Maria Antonia is expected to talk to du Barry and be courteous to her--which the Dauphine refuses to do. The book also talks about Maria Antonia's bond with her older sister Elizabeth, who was once a great beauty but whose skin is now scarred as a result of smallpox. Titi, or Theresa, who is Maria Antonia's seven-year-old niece (the daughter of her older brother Joseph and his late wife Isabella of Parma), is also a close friend of the Archduchess. A principal character in this book is Queen Maria Theresa (Maria Antonia's mother), who is controlling and strict (but not cruel). This book interested me in the history of the Habsburg family (of which Maria Antonia was a member). The author aptly describes the scenery of Maria Antonia's home(s) in Austria--expertly enough so that I could recognize every single landmark mentioned in the book when I visited Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, coincidentally a few days after I finished the book. An excellent read!

The year is 1769; the place, Austria. The pressure is on thirteen-year-old Maria Antonia, youngest daughter of the Empress Maria Theresa, to excell so that she will be chosen to marry the future king of France. Antonia, as she is called, must learn French language, fashions, customs, and etiquette so that she can impress the king's messengers. She is given no time to act her age; when she does attempt to enjoy life as a girl should, she is severely punished. When she is sent away to France, her life is little better - she makes enemies of the mistress of the current king, who is the grandfather of her husband-to-be. She is forced to observe customs she can barely keep straight. And she is having a hard time getting along with her fiance. I viewed Marie Antoinette differently after reading this book. It was obvious from the book and the afterword that Marie and her husband were not trained well by their parents and teachers on how to become good rulers, and Marie had been taught from the time she was young that the most important thing was to look good. This is most likely why they became such bad rulers and ended up losing their lives.

This book, Marie Antoinette, was written by Kathryn Lansky. It was set in the years 1769-1770,when Marie Antoinette was a young teenage girl, growing up in the palace of her mother, Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria.

In the first part of the book, Marie Antoinette's mother is trying to make a match between her and the Dauphin, Prince Louis 16th of France. Marie must have her portrait done and learn French etiquette (which she thinks is very boring) if she is to become the Queen of France. Thankfully, she has her riding lessons, which she loves. After the plans for the wedding are set, she must prepare to go to France, to marry Louis and join the French court as his wife. She tells in her diary of all the endless preparations to be made for the journey, like being fitted for fancy new French dresses. Then when Marie goes to France, she must adapt to the ways of the French court. For example, when she eats meals with her husband, she is watched by thousands of courtiers. She really hates being displayed in front of everyone like an animal in a cage! But she does enjoy horseback riding with Louis.

There are some really neat things about this book. First, the author wrote this book in diary form, with the date and year at the top of each quote just like a real diary. Second, when you read Marie's diary it is just like she is talking to you about her innermost thoughts and feelings. She tells you the sad, lonely, angry and the happy times that happened in her life. Third, the author did a great job explaining the book in great detail. For example, when Marie had to have her hair done for a fancy ball, afterwards she had to sleep with her hair on a board, to preserve the hairstyle! Another example is when she taught her young prince husband how to throw a snowball for the very first time. I love the way the author wrote this book in such a fun way to read!

This diary book has a blue and gold cover just like the one in the story. The edges of the pages are a beautiful gold color. On the front of the book, there is a beautiful picture of Marie Antoinette all dressed up for a ball. There is a section in the back of the book that has historical facts, plus pictures of Marie Antoinette and her family, where you can see how big their fancy ball dresses really were!

This diary tells of the events of Marie's life as a teenager, as well as her thoughts and feelings as an 18th century princess. Marie Antoinette was a very pretty, fun-loving girl who is really interesting to read about. This book shows how girls today are the same and different from girls back then, in an exciting, fun-to-read way.

I'm reading this book for the second time and I still love it! It's about a ballet dancer named Emmy, who struggles with the changes of World War 2 and how she copes with going from a sheltered life to poverty. I whole heartedly recommend this book to anyone

Eleven years after the first time I read this book, it is still one of my favorites. I ordered it when I was in the 7th grade from one of those Scholastic order sheets, and read it over and over and over again. Now I teach 7th grade and am excited to read it to my class. I lost my original copy, but am extremely relieved to have found a copy on-line. This copy I will keep close at all times!

Emma Macalik Butterworth is my Grandmother and she has told me many things about what happened to her in World War II and she even showed me a map of where most of the bombings were and she has showed me her last pair of toes shoes she wore. This book is magnificent and I'm not just saying that because she is my Grandmother, I'm saying it because it is the best book I have ever read besides my Grandfather's books which come in a close second place. The book is basically an autobiography with only a few changes in the dialouge. Much more stuff that happened to her she was not able to put into the book because it was too harsh. It is a very good book and was a must read in high schools nationwide in 1982 and 1983.