The Others’ Austria. Impressions of American and British Travellers. Volume Two: 1919-2007 By Horst and Lois Jarka

In the first half of the twentieth century, foreign visitors were witnesses to Austria’s dramatic history between the two World Wars. Political, and social issues often overshadowed the country’s traditional attractions, [BJ1] which had made it a travel destination in the preceding century. With the country’s independence in 1955,[BJ2] travelers were again lured by its scenic splendor, though ethically aware travelers were often painfully reminded of Austria’s Nazi past.
As in Volume I, the editors present excerpts from material usually not included in travel anthologies: memoirs, journalism, and creative works inspired by experiences in Austria. They convincingly document the striking neglect of Austria in major travel anthologies.The long overdue correction of this oversight makes this book, like Volume I, a pioneering achievement in travel research. That there is no other anthology focused on Austria is all the more baffling as the sixty authors in this collection include some of the best known names in American and British literature: novelists, poets, and playwrights W. H. Auden, John Dos Passos, Graham Greene, Ernest Hemingway, John Irving, Arthur Miller, Stephen Spender, and Thomas Wolfe; critics Alfred Kazin and F. O. Matthiessen; journalists G.E.R. Gedye and John Gunther; world travelers Bruce Chatwin, Patrick Lee Fermor, and Jan Morris; and mountaineers Arnold Lunn and Frank Smythe.
Although political and social issues were often foremost in foreigners’ impressions, the editors also discovered humorous sketches, exciting adventures, idyllic country scenes, unusual ways of traveling, and everyday experiences of farm life participated in by travelers. This colorful spectrum, oscillating between criticism, empathy, and affection for Austria, recorded by excellent writers, is as thought provoking as it is a pleasure to read. It is meant for readers who know or want to get to know Austria;for cultural, social, and political historians of Central Europe; and for armchair travelers venturing beyond guidebooks
Cover design by George McGinnis.