Austria Books

A beautiful story, wonderfully written and a pleasure to read. You won't be able to put it down!

I enjoyed this novel. The main character was someone you knew well after a few chapters, and I found myself rooting for her, her friends and her love interests. Her adventures were exciting enough, and her love story was affecting. Once I began to care about the characters, I could easily ignore the problems with this book. I spent several late evenings reading this.

The problems are not too terrible. The author often tells the reader details that should be revealed through the story. The prose is slightly awkward throughout. There is a lot of coincidence in the plot. Some of the coincidences are so improbable that they began to annoy me.

There is also a good deal of historical detail in the story, which I enjoyed. The action unfolds in Berlin, Vienna, and Prague- in real places which are well described. Now I feel like seeing those places for myself. I feel as if I know them intimately.

This is the first book in a series: The Zion Covenant. I will read the next book in the series, because I am hooked. I want to know what happens to everyone!

At first I wasn't sure what to expect from a "historical Christian fiction" book, but once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down! I can't wait to pick up the next one. This book really does have it all.

This book is a real eye opener if you are interested in WWII, but don't want to watch boring documentaries or read boring text books about it. It brings it to life. Charlotte Mason would have called this a "living book". Historically acurate history written in story format. There are 9 in the series, and all are worth the read.

Elisa Lindheim is young, beautiful, and gifted. The oldest child of retired Luftwaffe officer Theo Lindheim has grown up in Berlin, enjoying the privileges of her father's heroic World War I reputation and of his financial success as owner of Lindheim's Department Store. The shadows cast by Hitler's rise to power are darkening her life, though, in 1936. Estranged from her lifelong love and former fiance who's chosen to give her up on orders from his military superiors, Elisa lives in her Gentile mother's native Vienna and calls herself Elisa Linder. She plays in the opera house's first violin section, and - like so many other Jewish or part-Jewish Germans and Austrians - refuses to believe that things will continue to get worse. Any day now, the German military will have had enough of the mad paper hanger; and after that, life will be normal again.

Of course that's not what happens during the year that follows. As Theo Lindheim moves to get his family to safety, but fails to get himself out of Germany successfully, history in the making catches up with Elisa and forces her to make choices she never imagined anyone might have to face.

This is that rare book, a "faith based" novel that's worth any reader's attention. Well researched and well written, VIENNA PRELUDE moves along at a steady clip and then races to a suitably tense climax. The authors understand what far too many writers (especially of faith based fiction) don't "get" at all: that characters' actions must flow from who they are, not from what the book's chosen theme requires them to do. While the coincidences that keep parting and reuniting Elisa and American journalist John Murphy become strained from overuse, somewhere in the tale's second half, and a few of the characters' lines of dialog sound more like a sermon than an individual's words in conversation, the overall effect is just what it should be. The reader quickly becomes invested in knowing what will happen to Elisa and the others, and the triumph of their faith is all the more real because of the struggles that living it costs them. I expect to read more in this series, and that's the best compliment one can pay to any author.

Otto Prohaska was a Czech serving in the Austrian navy at the outbreak of World War I. He is given command of a U-boat in the Adriatic at the beginning of the war, and we follow his ups and downs, some harrowing escapes, romantic interludes, and humorous incidents through four years of hard fighting. The story starts as an aged Prohaska, living in a retirement home in Wales, recounts the story of his life as an Austro-Hungarian naval officer. Prohaska briefly recounts his early life in a small Czech village and some of the silliness as to whether it should have a German, Czech, or Polish name. From there he briefly discusses his early training then his first U-boat command at the outbreak of WWI. Most of the novel examines Prohaska's voyages up and down the Adriatic in the small submarines, with a few excursions into the Mediterranean. He attacks (and is hunted by) Italian and French warships in the Adriatic, gets saddle with a camel from a Bedouin tribesman in Libya that is a gift for the Emperor, and is stranded in Haifa frantically trying to repair his U-boat before the approaching British take the city from the Turks.

There is a lot to like about this novel. As in the best of historical fiction, this is a history lesson of first order. As you read through this book you'll learn a great deal about life in the Austro-Hungarian empire before its end. The conglomeration of languages and cultures, the complex political dynamics between the Austrian and Hungarian leaderships, and Prohaska's view as somewhat of an outsider (he's a Czech) make for an interesting backdrop. You'll also learn a great deal about naval operations in general, and U-boat operations in particular, in the Adriatic during the Great War. Every student of the Great War knows about Jutland and the Battle of the Dogger Bank, but there was certainly no lack of action to the south. You'll also learn a bit about the technical details of the early submarines. It took a brave man to get into one of those cans. Biggins' main character has a strong sense of duty that is applicable to military service today as it was in the Great War. One may think that a given war is stupid, but that doesn't change one's duty. The ending is particularly well done as it is clear that the Austro-Hungarian empire is doomed and Prohaska's world and the monarchy that he was sworn to defend are collapsing.

The reason that I give this novel only four stars is simply that in my opinion it isn't as interesting or as well developed as the best in this genre, the Flashman series, by George MacDonald Fraser. Prohaska isn't all that well developed as a character and is somewhat of a cliche of a naval officer. Additionally, Biggins attempts at humor pale in comparison to some of the ridiculous antics of Harry Paget. Finally, there is a level of historical detail in Fraser's books that is absent in this novel. Even though this falls short of the best of the genre, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this story to anyone with an interest in historical fiction, particularly with a military bent.

I wish to say "Thank You!" to reviewer Douglas Woods who brought this book to my attention. This is an absolutely delightful story about Austro-Hungarian Naval Officer Ottokar Prohaska who captained submarines for the Hapsburg Empire during the first World War. I really enjoyed this book and found it fascinating in many ways. I've always been interested in the Austro-Hungarian Empire but there is remarkably little fiction on the empire and I must say I learned a lot reading this book. Yes, the empire had a submarine service and our protagonist captains several submarines, but like most things in the Empire the service was a shambles and our friend Prohaska has many challenges ahead of him.

The novel was not as light-hearted as the title might give you reason to think, and it certainly had its sad parts too, but it was a delightful story told with heart, whimsy, and an engaging sense of self-deprecation at times. Told as a series of recollections by the 100 year old Prohaska while in a nursing home in Wales, the book is a wonderful story of how a rural, landlocked Czech boy rises to become a submariner in the first World War and about the trials the service, his ship, and his crew faced during that conflict.

The book also did a wonderful job of showing how the Empire worked, why it worked, and why it ultimately fell apart. The Empire had eleven different nationalities, all speaking different languages, and ethnicities that are still slaughtering each other today. The story of the Empire and how it bound those groups together cohesively for as long as it did was simply fascinating. I whole-heartedly recommend this book, and am eagerly waiting for the second book to arrive in the mail. The good news is that there are four books in this series, but that bad news is that it doesn't look like Mr. Biggins wrote anything else. He certainly deserves recognition for this series and a wider readership.

Biggins has done a fantastic job capturing the complexities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire during its twilights years. Years ago, I read a memoir of a WWI Austrian officer who fought in the trenches and his memoir presented many challenges that strikingly paralleled the same challenges of leadership that Prohaska faces in this work. In addition, Biggins depiction of the Hungarian nobility in Transylvania was brilliant--though I found it to be a striking odds with the description of what Patrick Leigh Fermor encountered when passing through the region a decade later. Which makes me wonder if Fermor's memories are romanticized or Biggins was trying too hard to bring out their differences (Romanian and Hungarian)? But that aside, this book was fantastic. For any student of Eastern European history, I recommend this gem.

Both John Biggins and Ottokar Prohaska are to be treasured!! Biggins style is to educate the reader and keep him laughing at the same time - only George MacDonald Fraser and Flashman are rivals in this genre'. Biggins has made history memorable and taught me things that I did not think even existed. Good job, John....Good job!!

I've always been confused by the Sound of Music. Why would a land-locked country like Austria need a naval captain? This, and many other little-known aspects of the first world war are explored in this extraordinary novel.

Set primarily in the Adriatic sea during world war I, the story follows the career of naval officer Otto Prohaska. The Balkan coast at that time was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Prohaska, a native of Czechoslovakia, also a part of the empire at that time, experiences a series of adventures which are in turn, poignantly tragic and laugh out loud hilarious. Biggins weaves a story full of pastiches and events which are fascinating if only because the setting is relatively unknown here in the west.

However, what makes this novel succeed is not simply a well-researched, skillfully written story about an interesting subject. That would simply be a Tom Clancy-style book. What elevates this to the Patrick O'Brian level is the depth of the protagonist's character. Dismayed by the decay of the Hapsburg dynasty, he clings to the structure provided by the military life. That contributes greatly to the richness that makes this book such a rewarding read.

The part that most struck me was when he wrote "Before the war would end, little Austria would supply nearly half of the staff of all Nazi concentration camps and death camps." and the story he tells of being a boy in Vienna in March 1938 "when Hitler entered the city and found a quarter of a million people rapturously cheering him". He says his cousin Sonja still lives in Vienna "where the citizens now call themselves victims....hoping to keep their secret from the rest of the world". Hitler was an Austrian and so was the head of the Gestapo Kaltenbrunner and many many other Nazi's.

I've read several books about the holocaust,whether their authors were survivors of the death camps, survivors on the run, or even non-Jews who helped others survive by hiding them. This book was an incredible story. His escapes were brave and amazing. I'm always looking for more stories such as this, it is amazing to me, there are so many stories, I want to know them all. If you have any other recommendations, e-mail me at Stacy1212@aol.com. Great book, must read.

I just finished this book, I coulnt beleive the outcome of it.It was so shocking to hear all of this. I couldn't put it down. Im very interested in the Holocaust, even though im not a surviver, but it is so interesting on how people were back in WWII, it amazes me that people had to go through all of this..I would diffently reccommend this. Thanks to Leo and Michael, to share such a tragic story and a big and unhumian peice of your life, a peice of history..Best Wishes

an incredible story about the human spirit and the will to live against all odds.

Well, the writer is my Grandpa. I am 10 years old so I read it early. My mom helped me out a lot. But thats not exactly a bad thing! Everytime I came to a word I didn't know she would tell me. My mom really could help because my mom was even the one who read it and edited it so she was one of the first, and that really helped because she knew the whole story. I first thought it wasn't such a bad tradgedy of what he did, but after I accually read it, I really changed my mind! If you have not read it, you really got to. Even if you are ten like me, try and you will really like it! Expeccially read it if you like biographies and autobiographies, cause this is an autobiography! Even if you don't like non-fiction, read it anyway! This is so cool that it sounds impossible, and im it sounds impossible it's as fiction as any other book!

This was the first book of Tricias that I have read. I now have read them all, except her newest on the spanish war. This book was insightful and heartbreaking. The facts of WW 2 were horrific. There were those who fought for freedom of those captured and this is a story of such.I really recomend this book along with the next WW 2 story Night song.

This was my first Tricia Goyer book, but it won't be my last. I thouroghly enjoyed reading "From Dust and Ashes." The author managed to write a compelling novel, set in an exciting background with "lots" of heart. Her characters were entirely believable as well as being a bit unpredictable.

Inspired by true stories of a Nazi concentration camp, Tricia Goyer writes a spellbinding tale that includes history, mystery, forgiveness, and love.

In Austria, the lives of a Nazi camp guard's wife, an American GI, and two prisoners are intertwined as they deal with the effects of Hitler's plan to exterminate the Jews and their supporters. They learn that God can bring healing and new beginnings from dust and ashes.

I couldn't put down this fascinating book, and highly recommend it to everyone!

This book can really tug at your heartstrings. We are all familiar with the stories from Nazi concentration camps, but this tale delves farther into what happened in WWII's aftermath. From the point of view of an SS guard's wife, an American GI, and a former prisoner, you find yourself entrenched in the thick of rebuilding lives that will never be the same.
Helene, whose husband escaped before the Americans could capture him, is faced with seeing the men, women and children that her acquaintances starved and mistreated. She has a 4-year-old daughter and a baby on the way. Her heart goes out to the Jews and other freed prisoners, as guilt pricks her conscience, and she takes in two women to feed and care for. One of them, Michaela, a Christian and preacher's daughter, is shocked to find what Helene's husband was, but is willing to share the good news with Helene.
Peter, a soldier from Montana, feels responsible for the happiness and well-being of these women. He soon falls in love with one, but is faced with a bitter disappointment when she decides to follow God's call, rather than the temptation of leaving her homeland for America. He continues to help them both, after they all part ways, with his influence in the army.
Helene feels trapped when her husband's plan of stealing Jewish money is made known to her. His friend and fellow SS guard thinks she holds the key to getting this wealth and will stop at nothing to get it for himself, even threatening her life and the lives of her children. Her new faith in God must give her strength to make it until the trials against the guilty Nazi party.
Tricia Goyer paints a beautiful picture as the characters travel throughout post-war Europe. Her characters spoke to me about God's will for their lives and gave a hope that life can go on after such atrocities. She has kindled an interest in this era that will have me looking for more books, by her and others!

FROM DUST AND ASHES by Tricia Goyer seized my attention on the first page and carried me through to the end, and wanting more! A beautifully written novel set at the end of WWII - a story of love, courage, and forgiveness.

The title of this book was intriguing, but reality was a disappointment. I have read well over 100 books about the eastern front, many of them written from the first person perspective. This one stands out as the worst. Regardless of his partial Jewish background, (one grandparent was jewish) as a soldier we was slacker to say least.

Much of what he writes is about how he managed to avoid doing his duty and live the good life while his comrades were dying in his place. The one incident that really demonstrated his cowardice is when he tells about the time that he and a few hundred others who were trapped in a wooded area were going to try and out-run russian fire, by all starting to run at the same time when a certain signal was given. He intentionally jumped the gun to enhance his chances of getting away, even though he admitted that it would result in many more of his fellow soldiers being gunned down because he alerted the russians by running. This was a despicable act.

He also admits to deserting on two occassions, but both times got mixed back in with a group of others, so he never got found out. Doesn't change the fact that he was a coward though.

While he was a Russian POW, he tells about how he exposed the escape attempt of two of his fellow soldiers, and in exchange he was permitted to be sent home in the first transport. As I'm sure most will agree that this was a most cowardly act.

If you enjoy reading about how a "soldier" spent most of his time avoiding duty and living the good life BEHIND the front, then this book is for you. The only "action" in the entire book takes place while he is running away after his second desertion, and gets caught by the Russians. He is the first POW in russian captivity that I have absolutely NO compassion for.

Boring book, written by a coward.

Our soldiers who have returned from Iraq should be reading this; war is a godless thing. I've never been on the side of a German soldier before. I gather that even though Georg fought for Germany that he wasn't a Nazi...something I didn't know before about the German Army. Georg's letters to his Mutti evoke a sense of wonder, his thoughts are so positive and strong.

His descriptions of the drudgery, and the truly horrific conditions he survived, as well as the eventual harsh decisions he had to make in order to survive are compelling. The treatment of the soldiers at the end, aside from the charity of civilians, was horrific and reminds me of our own situation in the US at Walter Reed Hospital.

Reading Rauch's book reminded me of Alvin Kernan's book Crossing the Line. If you found either compelling, then I'd recommend you read the other. They are vitally different, but powerfully similar in their very real, personal and detailed personal history of WWII. They ought to be required reading. Not since I read Stalingrad have I felt this way about a book on WWII.

This true story of Georg's perilous, horrific term as a soldier in WW 11 includes loving letters home to his mother and the realities of the war he spared her. His style reveals his intelligence and humor in the face of starvation, frozen conditions, illness, and battle. There is a bittersweet charm in his voice which captivates the reader from beginnng to end.

I am an old man and I read a lot of books and always have. I just finished The Jew With the Iron Cross and remember no book that I have enjoyed more. We go with this author as he goes reluctantly into war and go step by step with him to it's end. We see much of the inhumanity to man and the unbelievable depravity into which some fall. We also see a spirit in a young, normal, intelligent man that cannot be broken. This is an outstanding true account of three years of the life of an incredible individual. I remember no other book that I finished with tears running down my cheeks. This is a story that will remain with the reader forever.

Man's Search for Meaning is considered among the most influential works of psychiatric literature since Freud.It begins with a moving personal essay about Frankl's imprisonment in Auschwitz and other concentration camps for five years, and his struggle during this time to find reasons to live. The second part of the book describes the psychotherapeutic method that Frankl pioneered as a result of his experiences in the concentration camps and the resulting belief that man's deepest desire is to search for meaning and purpose. The profound lessons for me from this book are key messages in my workshops and in my book and audio book, Managing Thought: How Do Your Thoughts Rule Your World? -- that what we think is a matter of choice, that no one else and nothing else is responsible or to blame for what we choose to think; and that thoughts of purpose and possibility are powerful thoughts that bring us peace and inspire us and connect us with our highest awareness.

I'm an actor. You've never heard of me. Meaning, out of work actor.
This is important later on so bear with me please. Then their are college students. I did that to. And they complain they are lost in life, and that school is so hard etc etc.
Then their are people with jobs they hate. Or jobs they are simply bored at. (I'm the latter)
Do you know anyone who complains, Gosh I hope you say yes or it's probably you that complains. Anyway, this is all important as you should read this book. Then, you'll never complain again. Of all the most humbling stories ever written this has to be one of them. I don't complain about not getting work or having to eat pancakes (lie, i eat very well) everyday. I don't complain about being lost in life.
This book is magnificent because it doesn't get into the horrid details that we all have heard before. But it gives you the mindset.
How can someone watch others, friends and family die. How does it feel. What pulls you through.

Read the book.
It's a perfect account of a bad situation.

This book was suggested as recommended reading in Daniel Pink's book "Whole new mind". I found it so inspiring that I had to purchase 3 copies; one for myself and two for friends. It gives perspective to life and why we are here.
It's incredible to read the insight of a man who lived through the horrors of Auschwitz and Dachau and is able to write about it with such clarity and wisdom. In particular his perspective as a psychologist living through this time is extremely insightful. I have suggested this book to a few people now; a definite for those needing stories of resilience.

From the perspective of a member in a culture consumed in the "existential vacuum", Frankl's experiences and logotheraphy discussion offers a call to action for those prepared to live a meaningful life. This book will change you.

What can a person expect of life in a concentration camp? Is there a chance you can find meaning in living that torture? This is a truly inspirational book that reminds you that not everything is lost, that you can find light in the most terrible conditions. It's not new age, it's a story of survival and hope.
The second part of the book is about logotherapy. Victor Frankl was the creator of this discipline and it basically addresses the question of meaning in people's lives.

Excellent. Having come from the 'nat.' horsemanship clinicianss, I found I was ready to know even more. Through the help of a new instructor who is 4th generation N. Calif. ranch (used to the vaquero ways) and who became appreciative of the Masters, I am starting a whole new exposure. It is wonderful! She rec'd this book and will add more as I go along. I am halfway into this book and already am realizing how much we can learn from our horses if we just slow down and pay attention to them and each one of their particular personalities and behaviours. It is teaching me even more respect. This instructor appreciates Ray Hunt but also the Masters and I'm not sure but I think she considers Ray Hunt up there in that category as well as Tom Dorrance (who was a neighbor when she was younger and a person whom she learned from as well.). I reccommend this book to every horse lover and rider. It to me is right up there in the classics for an adult just like the Black Stallion, Walter Farley books were right up there when I was a child. It is not as exciting as the Walter Farley books because it is not fiction, but it is a very worthy read. ~ Copperhorse 4 Fun

This is Colonel Podhajsky's story of his life, told in context of his relationships with his horses. Sometimes people tend to think that some of the currently popular "natural horsemandship" principles are either new, or apply only to western riding. However, Colonel Podhajsky talks in terms of true partnership and understanding with your horse from the perspective of classical European Dressage, and of course pre-dates the current popular "methods." Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of Pat and Linda Parelli, and feel that they, and others who are popular today, have done a lot to improve the lot of horses. They have also found a way to help the rest of us learn how to achieve the sort of relationships with our horses that Colonel Podhajsky describes in this book. This book is the story of a true master in every sense of the word. Don't miss it!!

This inspirational book is truly a classic, as are all of Podhajsky's writings. A timeless, enlightening book which should be read not only by dressage enthusiasts, but by all who are interested in the partnership between horse and rider.

Confused by all the hoopla around the "Natural Horsemanship" gurus these days? Find out what is the real thing by reading Alois Podhajsky's "My Horses, My Teachers." In fact, this book could be a sourcebook in Human Relationship, or Self-Help categories as well as any equine category. AP writes passionately about his relationships with his own gurus, the many horses who were lucky enough to cross paths with this kind, gentle, patient master of horsemanship. Reading this book one feels as if these stories are being told face to face with this beacon of horsemasters, sitting in his living room on comfortable couches. This is a must read for ANY horse enthusiast!

Alois Podhajsky was head of the famed Spanish Riding School and the Royal Lipizzaner Stallions. He is author of several books and shows that his talent for writing is as great as his talent for riding and training horses.

This book is a collection of stories on how several of his horses has taught him valuable lessons in riding as well as in life. It is entertaining, humorous and, at time, poignant.

This book is valuable for anyone who rides -- particularly those who are interested in competing. I have found in my "adult amateur" experience that many riders view their horses as the key to their success. If they lose, the reason they lose is because the horse failed. When buying a horse, they consider whether the horse has the "talent".

Podhajsky teaches us that every horse -- regardless of talent, ability or training -- has something to teach us and something that can make us better riders and better people. You don't need a 30K warmblood in order to become a better rider.

Dressage is all about the relationship between horse and rider -- and about how that relationship makes each horse/rider better and reach a higher level of ability. And the symbiotic relationship between horses and riders is what makes riding so enjoyable. This is something that is true for all disciplines and life in general. This is true of life as well. We can always learn something from every experience and every person if we keep our mind open.

This is another beautiful by tricia. I read this immediately after Dust and Ashes. They both were great stories. This one has several different story lines that all end up in one great ending. The characters are real and interesting. I highly recommend this book along with Tricias 1st book, Dust and Ashes

The first half of this book wasn't so riveting, but the last part held me captive, with tears and smiles abundant.

Evie is an Austrian living in America. Her boyfriend, Nick, is a medical student. Before she can accept his proposal of marriage, she is ordered back to Vienna.

Otto is seeking power...and valuable violins.

Jakub is a Jewish boy, living in the shadow of his extremely talented younger brother. Things go from bad to worse as first he and his family are put in a ghetto, then a concentration camp, and for Jakub, a hard labor camp called Mauthausen. Can Jakub overcome his fear of playing the violin in front of crowds? His life might depend on it.

Evie helps in the resistance movement, disguising herself and putting herself in danger.

Nick thinks Evie has died, but he is not able to forget her or stop loving her. Or is he?

This is an inspiring story based on truth--there was actually an orchestra in the Mauthausen camp.

I found Night Song by Tricia Goyer to be captivating. I am not much of a History buff, but found this book easy to get into and lose myself into. It is a wonderful story well put about WWII and Mauthausen camp. The characters all seem to pop out of the book as you are reading it. The ending is perfect for the book. I recommend this book in every book lovers library.

I just finished reading "Night Song." I think that is the first Christian fiction book that I have read and really didn't expect to like it so much. The touching individual storylines just drew me in.... Before I knew it I was caught up in the days of the past and the lives of the intriguing characters. It is so well written ~ the stories are woven easily together as the reader is introduced to each side of the conflict. I have recommended "Night Song" to others and look forward to starting on my next Tricia Goyer book, "From Dust to Ashes."

I hate to appear curmudgeonly, given the overwhelmingly favorable reviews of this book, but I've just read it and can't quite join in the enthusiasm.

As a Christian I am on the side of this genre of writing; as a society we need less of the sleazy and crude offerings that we are presented with in the print and visual media. So I started this book sympathetically. It didn't quite succeed in engaging me.

I have no complaint about the storyline in general, but thought the plot lacked some needed tension at critical points and was altogether too self-conscious in its invocation of Scriptures and Christian principles, as much as I appreciate their value.

The story culminates with a Dickensian feel, when main and subordinate characters are brought together through coincidental (or Providential) events. But here again the scheme is contrived -- the assembling of the bare bones predicts the outcome; we needed a bit more of the accidental unfolding to enhance the surprises at the end.

A niggle: as a non-American I was put off by current Americanisms appearing in the mouths of 1940s characters. The idiomatic use of American English has changed considerably since the Second World War and an authentic feel can only be achieved by reflecting the voices of that earlier period. Also, the author's attempt to fuse coded American "values" (freedom) and icons (the statutette of Lady Liberty) with the Christian ethos is an unfortunate device and might limit the appeal of this book to non-American readers.

I found the closing third of the book to be closer to my expectations, more tightly written and approaching dramatic tension. The memorial to those victims of the camps was substantial and worthy, and provided details I have not encountered elsewhere.

It's symptomatic of the way I found books and authors when I was younger that I never discovered Mary Stewart's gothics until a couple of years ago. In my teens and early twenties, I loved Victoria Holt's gothics, considering them a peculiar sort of mysteries, and a bit of a guilty pleasure. I hadn't heard the term "gothics". I'd have loved Mary Stewart's books, too, but it never occurred to me to look for books similar to Holt's; nor did I talk to any other readers about them. Not that I really knew any other readers. The same thing happened with mysteries, and science fiction and fantasy. I read everything by a handful of authors, some popular, some more obscure, but completely missed a lot of the giants of the genres.

But it's all good. It just means that I have a few zillion old books to enjoy... along with the few zillion new books on my list.

Airs Above the Ground is a bit unusual for a gothic, in my experience anyway, in that the heroine is already married to the hero. Vanessa thinks her new husband is on a business trip to Stockholm... then she sees him in a newsreel with another woman on his arm--and they're in Vienna.

So when a friend asks Vanessa to escort her teenaged son to visit his father in Austria, Vanessa takes the chance to find out what's going on, and they find themselves caught up in the exotic world of a small traveling circus, international drug smuggling, mysterious deaths, and the world-famous Lipizzaner Stallions. Not to mention the difficulties of being newlyweds.

The atmosphere is pure gothic, and a lot of people rave about the horses (I'm not a fan of horses), but what I enjoyed most about this book is how all the various threads intertwined and affected each other.

My love of horses brought me to this book and it didn't dissapoint. The surgery done on Piebald ( the horse) was explained in detail. The old horse was useless to the Circus. They wanted and needed horses who could perform beautiful movements like the "Airs Above The Ground". The old horse is rescued and as in all Mary Stewart books there is a chase, this time along the top of a mansion. MS is intriguing in that she writes in detail. You can smell and feel the circus and everything about it. As always, MS keeps me reading even when I guess the ending.

If you love horses, that makes this book even better. Trust me, you don't need to read a plot summary, this is a great book even though it is nearing 50 years old.

Having read one too many very bad books lately, I went back to one of my favorites. Mary Stewart is one of the original true storytellers of the last generation. Her ability to research and create a in-depth tale of intrigue is amazing.

I can recommend most of her books, including the Merlin series, but AIRS was one of her greatest.

This is the kind of book I can imagine lots of people being sniffy about, cheesily packaged and unashamedly romantic - probably a lot wouldn't even pick it up in the first place. Well that's their loss, but I'd like to get a read-mary-stewart campaign off the ground. She is so good: a deft and clever writer who wears her literary nounce lightly. I adore her stories, her settings and her feisty (but not too feisty!) heroines. No one else is as consistently good: let's hear it for romantic fiction! I've been chastised on the bookwormonthenet blog for offering qualified praise to writers like Mary Stewart and for using phrases like 'pulp fiction' - but no, it is no slur. These are stunning books by a vastly talented writer. I also think film producers ought to be trawling the stewart back catalogue: I can just see Cate Blanchett as the heroine of Airs Above the Ground and the whole sub-plot around the Austrian circus, spies and a lost Lipizzaner stallion would translate fabulously to the wide screen. Go on, someone, do it!

Airs Above the Ground is not quite as compelling in its descriptions and plot as The Gabriel Hounds, My Brother Michael, or This Rough Magic (my favourite); however, it is still a classic Stewart mystery/romance, even if the romance is quite evident from the start. Vanessa March is quite likable and the only Stewart heroine thus far to not have annoyed me just a little bit. My favourite element of the book is the friendship that develops between Vanessa and young Tim Lacy, who is trying to break away from a stifling household and forge a path for himself. As far as the descriptions of exotic locales go, trademark to Stewart, I enjoyed the chase scene through the castle. Airs Above the Ground didn't wow me and I found the ending a bit strange as it didn't feature Annalisa at all..., but all in all, a pleasent read.

A really colorful, informative book. It is filled with clear, clean pictures of the artist & his works.

This book is informative and very well made. Hundertwasser is one of my favorite artists and I own several books about his life and work. This is one is (so far) the best. The Taschen book reproduces his work beautifully, showcasing the washes and color use that make his work truly sublime. It also contains some wonderful photographs of the buildings he designed, which make one wish all construction could be so imaginative. This book was more than I expected for a very fair price.

This book really shows off Hundertwasser and is a great addition to any art collection. This is another hit by Taschen.

I am a quilter, and bought this book largely because of my love for batiks,(which are cotton fabrics hand dyed)and on recollection of a show I saw 32 years ago on Hundertwasser in Toronto's ROM.I like it,big time.Yep,there's no gold leaf in them thar hills and curves of Hundertwasser repros,if it bothers you enough,grab a gold leaf marker and add it yourself.Taschen offers value for your money,if you want gold leaf,you may have to add another 20.00 to the cost of the book.I have no problems about the quality of the repros.Anything that looks like pale brown,try and doublecheck,it is likely it is gold leaf. The artist may not have alot to say as other painters,but his designs,and color sense are really got me going into my studio.
I am glad I got it!

Any book about art or an artist that doesn't make me fall asleep gets five stars from me. The only downside (but it still gets five stars) as that you don't get the full representation of the pictures and need to look at the description to see the medium. For example the foil overlay. Still wonderful. (Feb 17, 2008)

I eventually found a small, beautiful, cloth-bound catalogue of his Australian and New Zealand exhibitions (the one I have was produced in 1973 by cicero, gmbh and titled 'Hundertwasser 1974 Australia') and there you get glimpse of the phosphoric metallic brilliance that I find missing in many of the books about Hundertwasser - although for the price of these books, no complaint. This book and the catalogue are a good combination. The catalogue I was able to find at a very reasonable price of $30, but it took a bit of searching. (April 16, 2008)