Beware Of Pity

Book Code: 1111007653811

Stefan Zweig

ABOUT THE BOOK

"Beware of Pity" by Stefan Zweig is a 1939 novel centered on young lieutenant Anton Hofmiller, invited to a wealthy Hungarian's castle. There, he meets paralyzed Edith and, out of compassion, promises to marry her upon recovery. Concealing the engagement, when Edith discovers the truth, she takes her own life. The guilt-stricken lieutenant faces the horrors of World War I. The novel inspired various adaptations, including Wes Anderson's "The Grand Budapest Hotel," a stage play at the Barbican, and the Russian movie "Love for Love." The Danish film "Kysset" is also loosely based on Zweig's work, set in pre-WWI Denmark.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stefan Zweig (1881–1942), an Austrian writer, achieved global fame in the 1920s and 1930s. Known for historical studies and biographies, he wrote about literary figures like Balzac and Dickens. Fleeing Nazi Germany in 1934, he settled in England and later Brazil. Despite initially embracing Brazil, Zweig's despair about Europe's future grew. In 1942, he and his wife were found dead in Brazil. His memoir, "The World of Yesterday," depicts the Austro-Hungarian Empire's decline.