The Emperor's Tomb

Novelist and journalist Roth (1894–1939) is known largely for his writings on the Austro-Hungarian Empire and particularly on the Jews living there in the previous century. This final novel is an extension of his most famous work, The Radetzky March (1932), following the life of a cousin first introduced in that book's pages. As the narrative moves from the end of World War I to the Nazi ascension in postwar Vienna, the inevitable bleakness makes the fate of the protagonist, a likable dandy, all the more heartbreaking. History, as seen through the eyes of this single character, is a compelling, timeless read. Roth has crafted a moving sketch of the world's darkest times, while poet and award-winning translator Hofmann (e.g., the Dublin International IMPAC Award) continues his tradition of keeping European classics available for modern English-reading audiences.