Modern Austrian Prose. Interpretations and Insights. Vol II, Edited by Paul F Dvorak

Volume II continues the process of introducing readers to significant works of modern Austrian prose within the broader field of German-language literature. Written in English with German reference material appended in order to appeal to the widest possible audience, the articles collected here cover major works by eighteen contemporary writers. Counted among the well-established authors who could not be included in the first volume are such notable writers as Norbert Gstrein, Julian Schutting, Elisabeth Reichart, Erich Hackl, Barbara Frischmuth, Gert Jonke, and Alois Brandstetter. This group is complemented by a cohort of more recent authors who have established themselves within Austria and beyond within the last twenty years. They include Doron Rabinovici, Lilian Faschinger, Gloria Kaiser, Anna Mitgutsch, Paulus Hochgatterer, Marlene Streeruwitz, Evelyn Schlag, Kathrin Röggla, Thomas Glavinic, Dimitre Dinev, and Daniel Kehlmann. All of these authors are linked by language, history, and culture that ties them to a distinctly “Austrian” perspective. Reflecting the strong presence of the female voice within contemporary Austrian letters, almost half of the authors represented are female.
Contributors to the volume are highly respected scholars within the fields of Austrian and German studies both in the United States and abroad. Almost all of the works discussed are presently available in English translation with several translations presently underway. In sum, the authors, works, and contributors’ commentary on them reflect the richness and diversity of the Austrian tradition.
PAUL F. DVORAK is Professor of German at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. He has lived and studied extensively in Austria and devotes the majority of his research and scholarship to Austrian studies. He has written about and translated such authors as Arthur Schnitzler, Franz Kafka, Peter Henisch, Robert Schneider, Alfred Kolleritsch, and Alois Brandstetter.
Cover design by George McGinnis