This June the Italian Book Club in Mumbai reads Danube: A Sentimental Journey from the Source to the Black Sea / Danubio by Claudio Magris.
Danube: A Sentimental Journey from the Source to the Black Sea, published in 1986, is a richly layered travelogue in which the author takes us on a journey along the course of the river, from the Bavarian hills to the Black sea. Along the way, he explores the cultural, literary and political landscape of central and eastern Europe, reflecting on the legacy of Austo-Hungarian empire and the idea of Mitteleuropa, a shared cultural and intellectual space beyond modern national borders. Through encounters with historical and intellectual figures such as Kafka, Freud, Wittgenstein, Marcus Aurelieus, Heidegger, Canetti and Ovid, as well as other lesser-known thinkers, writers and patriots, Magris constructs a narrative about the literary traditions of the Danubian countries, as seamlessly flowing as the river itself. The result is a mediation on identity, memory and the complex nature of European civilization, an elegy for a continent shaped by coexistence and conflict.
Claudio Magris, born in 1939 in Trieste, is an Italian writer, scholar and translator widely recognized for his contributions to European cultural studies. A professor of German literature at the University of Trieste, Magris has devoted much of his career to exploring the history and literature of Central Europe. His writing, known for its intellectual depth and humanistic outlook, often blends historical insight with literary and philosophical reflection. His notable works, including Danube, have earned him numerous international awards, including the Prince of Asturias Award for Literature. Magris continues to be a vital voice in the dialogue about European identity and cultural memory.
Wednesday 26 June | Title Waves Bookstore, Bandra | 6.30 pm
The book may be read in the Italian original or in English