Thunder at Twilight

Frederic Morton

The first book on the hit parade for vacation was Morton, Frederic - Thunder at Twilight: Vienna 1913/1914 at 337 pages. It was started on departure from Cleveland the 7th, and finished on the 8th, probably at the airport before reaching the hotel.

The author was born in Austria and his parents left due to the miserable economy leading to The Great War. He has written more fiction than non-fiction, and the book reads more like fiction than straight history. Despite the 'serious' topic, it could be quite lively at times.

The first 2/3 of the book are essentially set up. What was happening in the intellectual community leading up to the war, ex-patriot Russians such as Lenin and Stalin haunting the coffee houses (which are everywhere around the city and still interesting to visit) to huddle with others and plot grandiose schemes of government overthrow. Lenin and Stalin did not meet formally during this time, though their paths did cross in a coffee house one day. Stalin was apparently well aware of Lenin and even during this time did not like his political position. Hitler could also be found in a cheap apartment here during this time. He was like by the others at the building since if one of the other losers didn't have money for rent he would start a collection to help the person out.

It is always fun to read something about the area during a visit. The people's gardens, Imperial Palaces, the Sacher Hotel (for a Sacher torte, of course) were all part of the book and the itinerary. Even without a concurrent visit, though, this book would be interesting for anyone interested in History, or anyone interested in Austrian & European society of the early 20th century.