When: Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 6:00 PM - Where: Online
Rüdiger Görner, Professor Emeritus of German with Comparative Literature at Queen Mary University of London, will be in conversation with writer and critic David Herman about his latest book, In the Future of Yesterday: A Life of Stefan Zweig.In the Future of Yesterday offers a refreshing approach to the life and work of Austrian-born writer Stefan Zweig, delving into his considerable contribution to world literature, rooted in the Austro-Jewish tradition. A world traveller from the outset, Zweig liked to uproot himself – but whether he stayed in London, New York, or eventually Brazil, his literary baggage continued to contain the flavour and flair of fin de siècle Vienna.Looking anew at Zweig’s influential time in England and offering fresh insights into his final years in the United States and Brazil, Görner discusses Zweig’s prolific literary output in relation to his life and subjects his political views on Europe, Zionism, and the world order to deep scrutiny.As one reviewer has put it, ‘Görner’s meticulous analysis of Zweig’s letters, his diaries, and some of his characteristic works greatly enriches the critical debate about the latter’s world-wide legacy. Full of interesting details on Zweig’s quest for freedom, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the life and work of Europe’s most translated writer of the interwar period.’In the Future of Yesterday: A Life of Stefan Zweig is available at a 25% discount for those who sign up to attend this online event.