I should have known I couldn’t travel light, the way I love books. It began with my first solo trip, when I was 15, to visit relatives in Boston. We had dinner at the Wayside Inn, and my aunt bought me Longfellow’s Tales of a Wayside Inn, which made me realize how much more meaningful books are when I have visited the places they talk about, and vice versa. My next big trip, a few years later, was overseas with a history group that visited historical sites in Catalunya (the northeastern corner of Spain and the adjacent region of France). I was in the process of learning Spanish, and took the opportunity to buy several Spanish books that would have been difficult to find (not to mention outrageously expensive) in America. That experience made me take a personal interest in Spain and France. The next summer I went to South Africa, for research involving the native wildlife, and collected a few books concerning that country. The following year I returned to Spain and that time mailed home two boxes of Spanish books. I then took a whirlwind vacation with friends in Scotland, England, and Paris; my friends still complain of having to help me haul my luggage, weighed down with books collected along the way, through half the train stations and subways in Europe (a considerable exaggeration). Trips to the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Mexico captured my interest in the political and cultural environment of Latin America and its relationship with the U.S. I took advantage of my last expedition, to Austria and Germany, to learn a little German and make yet another corner of the world personal for me. By the time of my second trip to Europe, I learned to prepare for trips by reading up on the countries before I arrived. Of course, I never accomplished as much as I hoped before the journey, so I ended up taking some books from home (I’d have plenty of travel time to occupy, I reasoned) to read while I was actually in the region. A rewarding plan, but definitely a heavy one!

My study of foreign languages and cultures has enriched my travels, and a Spaniard once commented that I knew the Spanish royal lineage better than he did. In addition to collecting books on individual countries, I have picked up several general books, on art, music, history and philosophy, to try to fill out my comprehension of the various cultures I have experienced. I have collected both fiction and non-fiction; some of my books I have found overseas, some in American bookstores, and many at library sales. In May I will have to settle down to a career as a veterinarian, but since most of my adventures have been based around career-related experience, I hope to find similar opportunities in the future. In the meantime, I am almost done with a grueling eight years of school, and I have a lot of catch-up reading to do!

United States:

Dillard, Annie. The Living. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1992.
I admit to a bit of bias in including this book. I am from the San Juan Islands of Washington State, very near Bellingham, the city in which this fictional story takes place. There is just something unique about the “pioneer” type of people who still populate some areas of the Pacific Northwest, and it is fun reading about places I know well!

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Tales of a Wayside Inn. New York: McKay, David Company, Incorporated, 1986.
This book revealed to me the delight of poetry and “old” literature. It is about a group of travelers that meet at an inn, and the stories that each one tells.

Richardson, David. Magic Islands: A Treasure-Trove of San Juan Islands Lore. Eastsound, WA: Orcas Publishing Company, 1995.
The author of this book has been a member of my home church for about 40 years and autographed it (albeit to my parents; I must admit to abducting it). He is a very knowledgeable old man (he once studied Sanskrit and has given me a book in Spanish) who obviously loves his home. It takes a unique kind of person to live on an island, and these characters make for good stories. This book is popular with the tourists who visit the islands, and I enjoy it because it’s a taste of home.

Shaara, Michael. The Killer Angels. New York: Ballantine Books, 1993.
I read this soon after I toured Gettysburg, and being able to visualize each location of the battle very much enriched it for me! I am not normally a big fan of straight military history, but that visit brought this book, a detailed account of the battle and its commanders, to life in my mind.

Spain

Alba, Víctor. La Soledad del Rey (The Solitude of the King). Barcelona: Editorial Planeta, S.A., 1981.
Juan Carlos, the king of Spain, has always fascinated me, despite being more of a symbol to his country than a ruler. Franco prepared him to inherit his dictatorship, but Juan Carlos instead helped Spain transition to a democracy. When part of the military attempted to take over the democratic government, Juan Carlos stood against them. I bought this book to learn a little more about the man, since there is little information about him in English.

Brenan, Gerald. The Face of Spain. New York: Grove Press, 1956.
The author lived in Spain for several years before the Spanish Civil War, and returned to see how Franco’s regime changed it. He and his wife traveled through Spain, talking to the citizens, and ending with a search for the grave of Federico García Lorca, who was killed during the Civil War. This book is an insight into the lives and thoughts of the Spanish people that few outsiders were privileged to see.

Buchholz, Elke Linda. Francisco de Goya: Life and Work. Translated by Phil Greenhead. Cologne, Germany: Könemann Verlagsgesellschafe, 1999.
Goya painted for the Spanish royal family, but his most powerful works were those on the Disasters of War, about the atrocities committed by Napoleon’s troops when they invaded Spain. This period influenced his later paintings, which are dark, often grotesque, and thought-provoking.

Castresana, Luis de. El Otro Árbol de Guernica (The Other Tree of Guernica). Bilbao: Editorial La Gran Enciclopedia Vasca, 1980.
First published in 1967, this book won Spain’s Miguel de Cervantes National Prize of Literature. The author was sent away from Spain as a child, as Franco’s forces were approaching Bilbao. This story, of a boy and his younger sister, is of fictional characters but real events. The children were sent from Portugalete, which was just down the road from the town where I worked for a veterinarian for a month. The title of the book is in response to the Nazis’ bombing of Guernica, the heart of the Basque people; one of the few things that survived was the town hall and the nearby oak tree, under which, tradition has it, the Basque government originally met. Although the Basques couldn’t protect the town that they revered, they protected their children.

Cervantes, Miguel de. El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha. Barcelona: Editorial Optima, S.L., 1998.
No Spanish aficionado’s library is complete without the Don. I fell in love with this story when I first read excerpts in my freshman English class and encountered its questions: What is reality? Is reality always better than fantasy? Don Quijote and Sancho Panza are a delightful pair, made even more so by the underlying serious themes of the work. This edition provides liberal footnotes as well.

Elliott, J.H. Imperial Spain: 1469-1716. New York: St. Martin’s Press, Inc., 1963.
At one time, Spain had at least nominal control of more land than any other nation in history. This is an exhaustive account of the period from the marriage of Fernando and Isabel to Felipe V, when Spanish power collapsed. During this time Spain was “unified”, although, as in modern times, the Spanish government had problems with nationalism, such as in Catalunya and the Basque Country.

Fletcher, Richard. The Quest for El Cid. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1989.
This is an account of the life of Rodrigo Díaz, El Cid, and the culture and politics of his time. Through much research, the author separated truth from legend, giving us a detailed picture of 11th century Spain and the strife between Christians and Muslims.

Greene, Graham. Monsignor Quixote. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1982.
Graham Greene has the amazing ability to take very human characters and make the reader re-evaluate the definitions of “good” and “bad”. In this retelling of Don Quixote, set just after Franco’s dictatorship, a priest and a Communist atheist set out on a road trip across Spain. The story asks whether kindness is justified whatever the cost, and what effect honest, tolerant friendship between a Christian and an atheist has upon each’s beliefs—and best of all, these questions are never answered.

Hemingway, Ernest. Death in the Afternoon. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1960.
Whether you like it or hate it, bullfighting is an ancient, traditional Spanish activity. With many photographs, Hemingway describes how the bulls are raised, the techniques of bullfighting, and its place in Spanish society. This is an interesting and detailed book by a great writer.

Howarth, David. The Voyage of the Armada: The Spanish Story. New York: Penguin Books, 1981.
The author, an Englishman, wanted to tell the story of the Armada from the Spanish viewpoint. He used many contemporary Spanish documents that had, up to that point, been little examined, and filled in the gaps with British records. This is a readable, detailed, and thorough account of a voyage that, with a different outcome, could have affected the course of history.

Hughes, Robert. Barcelona. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1992.
This is a comprehensive history of Barcelona, but told with a dramatic flair that captures the reader’s interest. The author includes the sort of interesting anecdotes that enliven history, along with the facts that round out understanding of Barcelona’s importance in Spain and the world.

Irving, Washington. Tales of the Alhambra. Granada: Ediciones Miguel Sanchez.
In 1839, the author traveled from Seville to Spain. He then wrote a little about his travels and the history of the Alhambra. But the book is mostly a relating of traditional Moorish tales. My memories of the Alhambra, augmented by the beautiful photographs scattered throughout the book, bring the stories to life.

Jackson, Gabriel. Historian’s Quest: A Twenty-Year Journey into the Spanish Mind. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1969.
The author, while researching a book on the Spanish Civil War that he intended to be objective and scholarly, was struck by the humanity he found in his quest. So he then wrote this book, about the Spanish people he met and his love for Spain. This is part autobiography, part journalism, and a captivating look inside Spain.

Lalaguna, Juan. A Traveller’s History of Spain, 3rd ed. Brooklyn, NY: Interlink Publishing Group, Inc., 1996.
This is a relatively short and readable overview of Spanish history. It begins with the prehistoric settlement of the Iberian peninsula, and ends with the political situation of the mid-1990s.

Mangini, Shirley. Memories of Resistance: Women’s Voices from the Spanish Civil War. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995.
This book begins with a discussion of the role of Spanish women in the centuries before the Civil War. Using extensive quotes from women of the time, the author describes the place women activists had in society and politics. After the war, many of these women were imprisoned or went into exile. This is a fascinating look at a little-known aspect of the Spanish Civil War.

Merino, Ignacio. Amor es rey tan grande: Leonor de Guzmán (Love is a great king: Leonor de Guzmán). Madrid: Maeva Ediciones, S.L., 2000.
This is a well-researched historical novel about the long-lasting liaison between the 14th century king of Castile, Alfonso XI, and Leonor de Guzmán, a remarkable woman who was educated and involved in the politics of the time. According to this book, she was integral in the transformation of the boy king to a great ruler.

Michener, James. Iberia: Spanish Travels and Reflections. New York: Random House, 1968.
The author begins with his first visit to Spain as a boy, and describes subsequent visits to various cities. The book is very well-researched and filled with fascinating facts and delightful encounters with Spanish individuals.

Olaizola, José Luis. La Vida y la época de Juana la Loca (The life and times of Juana la Loca). Barcelona: Editorial Planeta S.A., 1998.
Ferdinand and Isabella’s daughter, “Mad Joan,” is a fascinating historical character, who has generated much speculation as to whether she was actually mad or not. This is a detailed and well-researched account of her life, from her marriage to Philip the Handsome to her death after decades of imprisonment, during which her son ruled Spain in her name.

Payne, Robert, ed. The Civil War in Spain: History in the Making, 1936-1939.
This books covers the years of the Spanish Civil War through eyewitness accounts from both sides in the form of letters, reports, diaries, and journalists’ articles, with numerous maps and the editor’s explanations interspersed. The Civil War was very politically complicated, and Spaniards have told me that sometimes the soldiers themselves weren’t even sure which side they were fighting for. The reader feels the excitement, the sadness, the tragedy, and the confusion along with those who were present.

Poema de Mio Cid. Madrid: Ediciones de “La Lectura”, 1923.
This old edition has a long and detailed introductory commentary. The poem itself is written in “old Spanish,” with some slightly different spellings, and is a bit harder to understand than modern books.

Río, Ángel del, ed.. Estudios sobre Literatura Contemporánea Española. Madrid: Editorial Gredos, S.A., 1972.
The book, translated as Studies on Contemporary Spanish Literature, is in Spanish and includes commentaries on Spanish authors such as Unamuno, Darío, and García Lorca. The author actually lived with Federido García Lorca for a while in America.

Santa Biblia. Madrid: Sociedad Bíblica, 1994.
I bought this on my first trip to Spain, both to have a familiar point of reference and to be prepared for the NEXT time I visit a Spanish Sunday School class and am asked to pray in a language I am only halfway competent in!

Schoonover, Lawrence. The Prisoner of Tordesillas. New York: Avon Books, 1959.
While the cover gives the impression of a rather tawdry dime novel, you can’t judge a book by its cover! It is actually an interesting interpretation of the story of Juana la Loca, the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella. She was considered mad and imprisoned for most of her life, although she retained the title of Queen until her death so that her son, the very influential Charles V, only technically ruled Spain for a few years. A fictionalized, sympathetic story, but one that makes the reader wonder—was she truly mad or just in the way?

Tóibin, Colm. Homage to Barcelona. New York: Penguin Books, 1992.
This is a short, readable history of Barcelona, focusing particularly on its famous artists, including Dalí, Picasso, Miró, the fantastic architect Gaudí, and the cellist Casals, whose house-museum I visited in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he fled from the Civil War. Barcelona is my favorite Spanish city, and this is a delightful revisiting of the neighborhoods and edifices I visited there.

Unamuno, Miguel de. Paz en la Guerra (Peace in War). Madrid: Grupo Santillana de Ediciones, S.A., 1998.
The author, a Basque, was 10 years old during the third Carlist revolt, in 1874, and the war made a great impression upon him. This book is a novel about that period and the lives of realistic people.

Weyers, Frank. Salvador Dalí: Life and Work. Trans. Paul Aston. Cologne, Germany: Könemann Verlagsgesellschafe, 1999.
Dalí was a fascinating character, and his artwork reflects that. I visited his museum in Figueras, Spain; the building simpy viewed from the outside can be picked out as Dalí’s design, with a line of eggs sculpted around the border of the roof. This book tells of Dalí’s life and is liberally illustrated with his works.

Yglesias, José. The Franco Years: The Untold Human Story of Life Under Spanish Fascism. Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., 1977.
This book is an intimate look at the Spanish people during Franco’s rule. The author writes of various Spaniards he talked with, from terrorists to peasants to businessmen to politicians, all over Spain. He has a wonderful ability to describe people and their stories so that his readers can feel as if they too have met these individuals. It is very well-written and interesting.

France

Baldwin, James. The Story of Roland. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1958.
This particular story is a cohesion of legends regarding Roland, the nephew of Charlemagne, and his companions. It has several color plates and is a beautiful old book.

De Lorris, Guillaume, & Jean de Meun. The Romance of the Rose. Translated by Harry W. Robbins. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc.,1962.
A medieval French work, this began as a poetic allegory of courtly love, and ended, with a change in authors, as a satire of love. It is very representative of the medieval attitudes toward women, love, and God.

Guérard, Albert. France in the Classical Age: The Life and Death of an Ideal. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, Inc., 1965.
This book examines politics, religion, philosophy, and culture in France from the 16th to the 18th century. It has helpful outlines at the beginning of each chapter. It is a fascinating and detailed account of the period that gave us many well-known philosophers that still affect philosophical ideas today.

Laker, Rosalind. To Dance with Kings. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, 1988.
This novel follows three generations of women in a family that is intertwined with the kings of France and leads up to the French Revolution. It takes place in the town and palace of Versailles, which I visited, so I could envision the opulence described in the book.

Lindop, Audrey Erskine. The Way to the Lantern. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1961.
This is a novel about an actor during the French Revolution; it both is historically accurate and brings that turbulent time to life. The descriptions of Paris and Versailles were brought to life by my memories of those places.

South Africa

FitzPatrick, Percy. Jock of the Bushveld. Jeppestown, South Africa: AD Donker (PTY) Ltd, 1984.
This is a look at South Africa as it was a century ago; this book was first published in 1907. It’s style is similar to Old Yeller; it is a true story of a dog and his master, and the adventures they had with kudu, lions, humans, and other animals.

Greer, Luanshya. Reap the Whirlwind. London: The Sheridan Book Company, 1995.
This is a novel of 19th century South Africa, during the Boer War. It follows the members of a family and portrays South Africa’s struggle with the roots of apartheid.

Morgan, Dave. My Feeling for Fauna. Rivonia, Africa: William Waterman Publications, 1995.
During my trip to South Africa for biological research, we stayed with the author, a close friend of my supervisor (and thus were able to get autographed copies of his book). He is a herpetologist (snake biologist) and in this book related his escapades with various colorful personalities, both human and animal. His writing style is engaging and funny; very similar to Gerald Durrell.

Scotland

Broster, D.K. The Gleam in the North. Baltimore: Penguin Books, Inc., 1976.
A fictional story but with several real characters, this brings to life Scotland in the years after the battle at Culloden. Archibald Cameron, who was influential in the Rising and was later executed, was a prominent character.

Buchanan, Freda M. The Land and People of Scotland. New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1958.
This book covers Scotland’s history, culture, the character of different areas, and everything else the reader might want to know. Written by a native Scot, it shows affection and pride, and is a good overview of Scotland—at least up to 1958!

Fallon, Frederic. The White Queen: Mary Queen of Scots. New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1973.
This is a novel, but I have seen where Mary was married, where her secretary Signor Rizzio was murdered, and other important locations in her life. She was a fascinating woman, and parts of her story are an unknowable mystery; I like reading the various interpretations different authors make of her life.

Fraser, Antonia. Mary Queen of Scots. New York: Dell Publishing, 1969.
This is one of the most respected and exhaustive biographies of Mary; it is the result of much research and not a fictionalized account.

Gabaldon, Diana. Outlander. New York, Delacorte Press, 1991.
This is the first in a wonderful series, also including Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, and The Fiery Cross. Although the story begins with a time traveling nurse, the historical facts are well-researched, and the author includes accurate details of 18th century medicine and life in general. The characters’ travels throughout Scotland and to the Continent touch on places that I visited as well.

Roberson, Jennifer. Lady of the Glen. New York: Kensington Books, 1996.
A fictional story, but it sweeps the reader into the reality of the Massacre of Glencoe, the Scottish tragedy of the Campbells killing the MacDonalds after being offered hospitality (I read of a MacDonald recently saying, “You can never trust a Campbell,” 300 years after the betrayal).

Tannahill, Reay. Fatal Majesty. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998.
This is a readable fictionalization, but extensively researched. The life of Mary, Queen of Scots was a fascinating story of love, tragedy, and political intrigue.

Tranter, Nigel. The Wallace. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1998.
Nigel Tranter has chronicled most of Scotland’s history via numerous well-researched novels. This one is about William Wallace, perhaps Scotland’s most famous hero. When Scotland was ruled brutally by Edward Plantaganet in the 13th century, Wallace, personally touched by the violence, arose to lead the people against the English and set Robert the Bruce upon the Scottish throne.

--- The Bruce Trilogy: The Steps to the Empty Throne, The Path of the Hero King, The Price of the King’s Peace. London: Hodder and Stoughton.
Inspired by William Wallace’s fight, Robert the Bruce continued the struggle against the English. He married Elizabeth de Burgh, the goddaughter of Edward Plantaganet, here portrayed as a love match despite the political tangle.

--- The Lion’s Whelp. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1998.
This book centers around Alexander Lyon and his wife, Agnes, who were friends and counselors to the young Scottish King James II after his father’s assassination.

England

Fraser, Antonia. The Weaker Vessel. New York: Random House, Inc., 1984.
This book is a thorough look at the details of women’s lives in 17th century England. It talks of the traditional female roles, but also of women involved in politics and business. It is a fascinating and entertaining look at a little-known aspect of history.

Herriot, James. All Creatures Great and Small. New York: Bantam Books, 1972.
This and the author’s other books (All Things Bright and Beautiful, All Things Wise and Wonderful, The Lord God Made Them All), delightful stories of life as a country vet, were my first inspiration to become a veterinarian. When I was in Yorkshire, my top priority was to hunt down the famous veterinarian’s clinic (now a museum) and pay homage. All I knew was that it was in the tiny town of Thirsk, so I temporarily abandoned my uninterested traveling companions, took a train, asked directions, and started out walking (it turned out to be a couple miles)... a real pilgrimage! These books and the subsequent movies were greatly responsible for an increase in interest in the field of veterinary medicine.

Penman, Sharon Kay. The Sunne in Splendour. New York: Ballantine Books, 1982.
A fictionalized yet historically accurate account of Richard III; although villainized in Shakespeare, he appears in this book as a very sympathetic character. A great way to get a handle on the political turmoil of the War of the Roses.

--- Here Be Dragons. New York: Avon Books, 1985.
This is another well-researched fictionalized story of British history; this time of the strife between England and Wales in the 12th century, or rather, between the Plantaganets and the Welsh Prince Llewelyn.

Roberson, Jennifer. Lady of the Forest. New York: Zebra Books, 1992.
Although his true identity/existence is disputed, Robin Hood is a legend inextricable from the history of England. This is a detailed story of him, Maid Marian, and England of the 13th century.

Rutherford, Edward. London. New York: The Ballantine Publishing Group, 1997.
This novel follows several families and spans a few thousand years. Their lives, naturally, are affected by the political environment, and the story takes place in many of the places I have visited in London.

--- Sarum. New York: Ballantine Books, 1987.
Sarum is the area around Salisbury, including Stonehenge. This book begins in prehistoric times and follows a number of fictional families through several thousand years, to the restoration of the Salisbury Cathedral. This book was in part a plea for saving the old cathedral; when I visited it in 2000, it was still surrounded by scaffolding and workmen, but its grandeur, particularly when I heard an orchestra and chorus practicing inside, was not diminished.

Latin America

Alvarez, Julia. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. New York: Penguin Books, 1992.
The author, originally from the Dominican Republic, is a well-known writer of novels describing the difficult transition of Latino immigrants to life in the U.S. It is particularly interesting to me after spending a month working for a veterinarian in the Dominican Republic and meeting many Dominicans.

Cohan, Tony. On Mexican Time: A New Life in San Miguel. New York: Broadway Books, 2000.
I love autobiographical books about moving to another country and discovering everyday life and culture! This author and his wife fell in love with San Miguel, bought an ancient house, and renovated it. He writes about that experience and also both the beautiful and the ugly sides of life in a Mexican town.

Neruda, Pablo. Confieso que he vivido (I confess that I have lived). Barcelona: Plaza & Janés Editores, S.A., 1974.
Pablo Neruda, a well-known poet and writer, tells here the story of his life in Chile and elsewhere in the world. He speaks of great authors and works that he read and friends, often contemporary authors, that influenced his outlook on life.

Saenz, Benjamin Alire. Calendar of Dust. Seattle: Broken Moon Press, 1991.
Benjamin Alire Saenz writes powerfully of Latino life in America. This is a collection of his poems, showing a great love of family and portraying the struggle to mesh two different cultures. I heard him speak in Lansing, and included this book here because part of my interest in Latin America is due to a desire to understand the background of the Latinos I have met in the U.S.

Skarmeta, Antonio. El Cartero de Neruda: Ardiente Paciencia (Neruda’s Postman: Burning Patience). Barcelona: Plaza & Janés Editores, S.A., 1996.
This is a delightful, passionate, and touching story, perhaps partly true. It describes the education of an unpolished mailman who begs the famous author Pablo Neruda to teach him to write love poetry so that he can win a girl’s heart. The Italian movie Il Postino is based on this book.

Suro, Roberto. Strangers Among Us: Latino Lives in a Changing America. New York: Vintage Books, 1999.
This book perhaps more properly belongs in the “United States” category, but since it concerns Latin Americans, I have included it here. It examines the subculture of Latino immigrants in the U.S., and speculates on the future relationship between them and the rest of the U.S.

Austria

Haslip, Joan. The Lonely Empress. New York: Avon Books, 1965.
A noted biography of Elisabeth, Franz Josef’s empress, this is well-researched and factual. Under the nickname “Sissi”, she has inspired many books about her romance and later disillusionment with her husband; like Mary Queen of Scots, the tragedy of her life makes for a fascinating story.

Hofmann, Paul. The Spell of the Vienna Woods: Inspiration and Influence from Beethoven to Kafka. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc., 1994.
A wonderful guide to Vienna’s history, people, and natural treasures, I read much of this book while sitting in a vineyard in the Vienna Woods. I enjoyed reading about many famous people who called Vienna home, but I was particularly delighted to discover that Konrad Lorenz, the premier animal behaviorist and my favorite scientific author, lived and worked in the Woods and was interviewed by the author.

Layng, Charles. The Monarch Who Wouldn’t Go Mad. Chicago: The Reilly & Lee Co., 1934.
An old book (I love old books) written not that long after the empire ended, about Franz Josef’s life and political career, with all its disappointments and disasters.

Morton, Frederic. A Nervous Splendour: Vienna 1888/1889. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1979.
This book is so readable that it feels like a novel, but it is perfectly factual. Using excerpts from contemporary newspapers, diaries, etc., it follows the lives of such people as Klimt, Mahler, Brahms, Bruckner, Crown Prince Rudolf, Freud, and Johann Strauss, tying them all together by examining the city’s sensation of desperate decadence, culminating in the mysterious suicide of the Crown Prince and his mistress. A fascinating look at many famous people and a societal attitude that rings familiar even now.

--- Thunder at Twilight: Vienna 1913/1914. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1989.
In the next installment of Vienna’s story, the Austrian Royal family comes to an end with the assassination of the Crown Prince Franz Ferdinand, which, eventually, ignites World War I. Another insightful, accurate look at Viennese life, politics, and its relation to world-impacting events.

Shields, Judy. The Fig Eater. Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 2000.
This novel is set in 1910 Vienna and is a murder mystery; the details of the time are well-researched. It is an enjoyable companion to the non-fiction books in my collection.

Tomacek, Anna. Viennese Specialties. Innsbruck, Austria: Kompass, 2002.
I couldn’t leave Austria without a little cookbook so I can make my very own apple strudel!

Wheatcroft, Andrew. The Habsburgs: Embodying Empire. London: Penguin Books, 1995.
Spanning nearly a millenium, the Habsburgs were the royal family of the Austrian emperors. They produced a number of interesting individuals, several of whom I have studied separately. Since they provided rulers to both Spain and Austria, two branches of my interest coincide in this book.

Germany

Blunt, Wilfred. The Dream King: Ludwig II of Bavaria. New York: The Viking Press, Inc., 1970.
Ludwig II is known as “Mad King Ludwig”, which makes for a fascinating story. This book examines his life, interests, motivations, descent into madness, and mysterious apparent suicide. It focuses considerably on Ludwig’s relationship—and obsession—with Richard Wagner; without Ludwig’s patronage, many famous operas would not have been created. The book is very readable and beautifully illustrated with color photographs and contemporary pictures.

Die Bibel. Stuttgart: Katholische Bibelanstalt GmbH, 2002.
The Bible is one of the first books I collect when I begin a new language, since its meaning is familiar to me and it is relevant across cultures.

Fuchshuber, Annegart. Lotte ist Lieb. Vienna: Die Deutsche Bibliothek, 2002.
This is a cute, simple German children’s book about finding friends in people (or birds, in this case) that look different than you. Just about my level of German!

Grass, Günter. Two States—One Nation? Translated by Krishna Winston with A.S. Wensinger. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1990.
This is a collection of essays written around the time that the Berlin Wall fell, about the author’s concerns over a reunified Germany. It is a personal, engrossing look inside the mind of a modern German intellectual.

Klemperer, Victor. I Will Bear Witness: A Diary of the Nazi Years, 1942-1945. Trans. Martin Chalmers. New York: Random House, 1999.
This is the second volume of the author’s diaries. He was a Jew who fought for Germany during World War I, and a language professor by career. He talks about being forced to work at manual labor and the fear of being sent to the death camps, despite being married to an Aryan woman. This is a personal insight into life under Nazi rule.

Popescu, Petru. The Oasis. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001.
This is most incredible book I have ever read. The author, who defected from Communist Romania himself, tells the story of his wife’s parents, Jews who met in a concentration camp near Dachau (which I saw). It is engrossing, heartbreaking, and deeply moving, showing a thread of hope in the darkest despair. It is the truest love story I have ever heard.

Schulze, Hagen. Germany: A New History. Translated by Deborah Lucas Schneider. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1998.
A very well-illustrated, concise yet complete history of Germany written by a German history professor.

Taylor, A.J.P. Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman. New York: Vintage Books, 1955.
I bought this book to fill out my understanding of an important period of German history. It examines Bismarck’s personal and political motivations, and his relationships with various rulers, including Franz Josef (Austria) and Ludwig II (Bavaria).

Weil, Mathias, & Sonja Sammüller. Poesie Verse: Lustiges und Besinnliches für dein Album. Germany: Paramount Publishing, 2000.
This is perhaps just a little ambitious for my current level of German, but it is a good goal. Since I was in Germany and Austria learning German, I had to pick up at least a couple books in the native language!

Hungary

Lázár, István. Hungary: A Brief History. Translated by Albert Tezla. Budapest, Hungary: CORVINA Books, 2001.
During my brief German language course in Vienna, I took a last-minute day trip to Budapest to visit a new friend. After hearing a little about Hungarian history from her, I wanted to learn the whole story—and of course, I knew that I would enjoy the book after having seen many of Budapest’s important edifices.

Rounding It Out

Adler, Mortimer J., ed. The Great Ideas Program. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Inc., 1963.
This is an ambitious 10-volume work that guides the reader through the great ideas of history, in science, religion, literature, politics, law, and psychology, to name only a few. Mortimer J. Adler, accompanied by experts in the various subjects, chose significant readings by original writers and wrote a commentary and self-testing questions for each. The readings themselves are not included—another direction for my library to grow! I already have many of the suggested works, however, and this is a great way to work through the important ideas of Western civilization alone or with companions.

Barzun, Jacques. From Dawn to Decadence: 1500 to the Present: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2000.
A magnificent, readable work that ties it all together! The author was about 90 when he wrote it, and his decades of learning and wisdom are evident. He discusses the development of religion, philosophy, and our culture in general, with in-depth looks at various cities and individuals throughout history. He relates his own opinions unashamedly and logically, provoking thought and a desire to investigate further.

Carey, John. Eyewitness to History. New York: Avon Books, 1987.
The best way to feel history is to see it through the eyes of people who were there. This book is a collection of eyewitness accounts around the world, from the Athens plague (430 B.C.), through various disasters, deaths, everyday commentaries, and wars, to the 20th century.

Franck, Harry A. A Vagabond Journey Around the World. New York: The Century Co., 1910.
Although the author’s journey encompassed far more of the world than I have seen, he visited some of the same places, and I love travelogues. Accompanied by many photographs, this is a delightful account of characters the author met around the world, the most interesting aspect of any journey. It is a window into the world of travel as it was nearly a century ago.

Heer, Friedrich. The Intellectual History of Europe. Trans. Jonathan Steinberg. Cleveland: The World Publishing Company, 1966.
The author begins this book with the claim that the history of ideas is not linear, as it is often represented, but rather “lie like overlapping rings across the spiritual map of Europe.” This book was written in Vienna soon after World War II (1953), and is in part an attempt to explain the tragedy that Europe found itself caught up in. He begins with the early Christian church (2nd century) and continues through the 19th century in a fascinating examination of the evolution of European ideas.

Melitz, Leo. The Opera Goer’s Complete Guide. Trans. Richard Salinger. Garden City: Garden City Publishing Company, Inc., 1921.
This is a lovely old book with summaries of 248 operas. I recently discovered the magic of opera; it is a way to see into the past, and what people enjoyed for entertainment hundreds of years ago, as well as being an incentive to learn more languages (Italian is my next goal).

Popkin, Richard H., ed. The Columbia History of Western Philosophy. New York: MJF Books, 1999.
Since the history of the world is largely the history of ideas, this book is a handy reference and overview of philosophy and philosophers, both famous and lesser-known.

Randall, John Herman, Jr. The Making of the Modern Mind. Cambridge: The Riverside Press, 1954.
The author investigates the evolution of ideas and beliefs, wondering how they began and why the ones that lasted have done so. He uses many contemporary quotations and has comprehensive (until 1954, anyway) suggested reading lists. He looks at how religion, philosophy, and developing technology affected the way people viewed their world.

Rice, Eugene F., Jr. The Foundations of Early Modern Europe, 1460-1559. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1970.
This book examines science, economics, culture, politics, and religion during the period of the Reformation and the Renaissance. It discusses the different classes of society and how each was affected by the changes in Europe, and looks at a few of the most influential individuals in depth.

Weeks, Marcus. Music: A Crash Course. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 1999.
This is a quick outline of music and composers in Western civilization, written in an engaging style. It explains a little about the development of our system of music. It also discusses how music was influenced by the prevailing cultural themes, such as Romanticism and nationalism.

Wells, H.G. The Outline of History. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1971.
First published in 1920, this book was later brought up to date (1971, anyway). Although rather dry, it is a good overview of all of history.

Wright, Willard Huntington. Modern Painting Its Tendency and Meaning. New York: John Lane Company, 1915.
“Modern” means something rather different when it applies to the year 1915. This book discusses mainly French Impressionists, but includes Picasso (who became particularly important to Spain 20 years later, with his painting “Guernica” created in protest of the Franco/Nazi destruction of that town).