Skip to main content

Grand Hotel - Vicki Baum


 vivid classic that inspired an Academy Award–winning film! In 1920s Berlin, the lives of a glamorous hotel’s motley guests intertwine as the lonely souls search for a way forward. “Baum is the novelist as choreographer, guiding her characters smoothly through their steps” (Kirkus Reviews starred review).

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION

A luxury hotel in 1920s Berlin is a microcosm of modern society in this classic that inspired a hit Broadway musical and the classic film starring Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, and John Barrymore.

“Prefigures Downtown Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs by examining multiple characters from different classes.” —Shelf Awareness
 
The luxury Grand Hotel is a revolving door for the stray souls of 1920s Berlin. Among the guests is Doctor Otternschlag, a World War I veteran whose face has been sliced in half by a shell. Day after day he emerges to read the paper in the lobby, discreetly inquiring at the desk if the letter he’s been awaiting for years has arrived. Then there is Grusinskaya, a great ballerina now fighting a losing battle not so much against age as against her fear of it, who may or may not be made for Gaigern, a sleek professional thief. Herr Preysing also checks in, the director of a family firm that isn’t as flourishing as it appears, who would never imagine that Kringelein, his underling, a timorous petty clerk he’s bullied for years, has also come to Berlin, determined to live at last now that he’s received a medical death sentence.

All these characters and more, with all their secrets and aspirations, come together and come alive in the pages of Baum’s delicious and disturbing masterpiece—a Weimar-era bestseller that retains all its verve and luster today.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

لو نوفي فيت دي غابرييل

  عظيم!  غالبًا ما تتميز الروايات الرومانسية المعاصرة باللغة الإيطالية بموضوعات الحب والعلاقات والنمو الشخصي.  وهي تتمحور عادةً حول شخصيات مقنعة تتنقل في تعقيدات الرومانسية الحديثة على خلفية الثقافة والمجتمع الإيطالي.  قد تستكشف هذه الروايات موضوعات مثل العاطفة، وديناميكيات الأسرة، والتطلعات المهنية، والسعي وراء السعادة.  غالبًا ما تأتي الشخصيات في الروايات الرومانسية الإيطالية المعاصرة من خلفيات وتجارب متنوعة، مما يضيف عمقًا وثراءً إلى القصة.  قد يواجهون تحديات وصراعات مختلفة تختبر علاقاتهم وتجبرهم على مواجهة رغباتهم وانعدام الأمن.  تلعب الإعدادات دورًا أساسيًا في هذه الروايات، حيث توفر المدن والمناظر الطبيعية الإيطالية خلفية خلابة للرومانسية التي تتكشف.  من شوارع روما الصاخبة إلى الشواطئ الهادئة لساحل أمالفي، تثير الإعدادات إحساسًا بالرومانسية والمغامرة، مما يعزز تجربة القراءة الشاملة.  يمكن للقراء أن يتوقعوا مؤامرات جذابة مليئة بالتقلبات والمنعطفات، بالإضافة إلى لحظات من الفكاهة والدراما والعاطفة.  سواء كانت قصة حب عاصفة بين شخصين غري...

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

This unmissable international bestseller with over 57,000 five-star Goodreads ratings is perfect for your next book club! Beekeeper Nuri and artist Afra are living a peaceful life in the hills of Aleppo — until war threatens to take away everything they hold dear. “Rich, complex” (Time). PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION This unforgettable novel puts human faces on the Syrian war with the immigrant story of a beekeeper, his wife, and the triumph of spirit when the world becomes unrecognizable. “A beautifully crafted novel of international significance that has the capacity to have us open our eyes and see.”—Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz WINNER OF THE ASPEN WORDS LITERARY PRIZE • FINALIST FOR THE DAYTON LITERARY PEACE PRIZE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY REAL SIMPLE Nuri is a beekeeper and Afra, his wife, is an artist. Mornings, Nuri rises early to hear the call to prayer before driving to his hives in the countryside. On weekends, Afra sells her colorful la...

Wild Love (Rose Hill Book 1)

  Wild Love (Rose Hill Book 1Wild Love (Rose Hill Book 1)" introduces readers to the quaint town of Rose Hill, where protagonist Lily Green returns after years away. Lily reconnects with old friends and encounters her first love, Jack Turner, who is now a successful entrepreneur. Despite their past, Lily and Jack find themselves drawn to each other again, but their relationship is complicated by secrets and unresolved feelings. Lily struggles with her desire to pursue her dreams while staying in Rose Hill, where her family and heart reside. Meanwhile, Jack grapples with his own demons and the responsibilities of running his family's business. As Lily and Jack spend more time together, their attraction grows stronger, but they must confront their past and fears to embrace their future together. Along the way, they encounter obstacles and misunderstandings that threaten to tear them apart. Despite the challenges, Lily and Jack's love proves resilient as they learn to trust ...