What do You think about Beware Of Pity (2006)?
This is one of the best books I've ever read. It does everything that really great books should do. It takes the idea of pity and really explores it as a human emotion. It left me feeling as if I might be a bit wiser about how to be a decent human being. On top of that, it is readable and I found it a bit of a page-turner due to the brilliant characters.It is so cleverly constructed too; a layering of narrative on narrative so that as each person tells a story or relates a rumour they all begin to echo and resonate with each other. Even the word pity itself builds up in subtle shades of meaning so that everytime it is used it becomes like an ominous bell sounding.If the writing is criticised as being melodramatic, I took it to be a characterisation of the first person narrator. He is constantly vacillating between over-zealous despondency and naive joy. I just couldn't find a fault with this and I'm stunned that it has taken me 27 years to find Stefan Zweig.Just my type of novel: detailed, psychologically nuanced, and deep.
—Paul Blakemore
"Only a moment ago you felt free, you belonged to yourself and were in debt to no one, and now suddenly you find yourself pursued, hemmed in, prey and object of the unwelcome desires of another. Shaken to the depths of your soul."A soldier becomes entangled in the world of an heiress, whom the translator describes as "crippled." The Austro-Hungarian soldier has no physical desire for this woman nor does he want her money (not wishing to be seen as a "sponge" or a "kept man" to his army comrades). Yet, step-by-step, lamb-to-the-slaughter, "a slave to his own pity," he presents himself a living sacrifice in the days leading up to World War I. "Don't let yourself be drawn into it, I said to myself." Yet, the cavalry officer, capable of mastering a fierce horse named Caesar, becomes himself tamed by the Kekesfalva family and the girl's doctor. BOP explores the psychology of the desire to please, the need to be adored, the need to be wanted, the need to be a messiah, and the need to curry sympathy or "understanding" from others. It also explores the passive-aggressive tendencies of Edith Kekesfalva, the recipient of Lieutenant Hofmiller's sympathy. BOP caused me to re-examine my own ethos of compassion and challenged me to state my beliefs, without explanation or argument, and let others bear the burden of arguing or disagreeing. I will be myself. Every other person is already taken (as Oscar Wilde wrote). Stefan Zweig may reveal us to ourselves. Maybe."Our decisions are to a much greater extent dependent on our desire to conform to the standards of our class and environment than we are inclined to admit."BOP hits home. I don't know if I even agree with Zweig or his conclusions, nor do I know if Zweig even came to any conclusions. Yet, he writes with clarity and uncommon precision and slowly reveals complex psychological motivations of his characters. Indeed, BOP is a Freudian case study, and you might as well lie down on the couch and review yourself. Thus, it is a challenge to read or review this book. Some would have us believe that there is a firm distinction between pity and compassion. Very well. Perhaps. Who am I to make such precise distinctions? I see a blurry line, despite the certitude of some who are sure that there is a definite difference. I wish them good luck trying to determine the boundary when they are caught in a maelstrom of emotion. Zweig suggests that pity, pride, and self-indulgence might masquerade as compassion, of which we should be wary--lest we betray our true selves. Perhaps gentle honesty is the best course of action. By adopting gentle honesty as our guide, we remain true to ourselves and bless others with our true selves. In the end, we are kind when we are true. What better gift may we offer?May 10, 2014
—Steve Sckenda
A very powerful work and Stefan Zweig's only full length novel. Stefan Zweig generally cut and cut his longer stories until arriving at the essence of the tale. Beware of Pity is therefore an anomaly, one that forces me to conclude he should have written more novels.Memorable characters abound in this book that actually contains three extraordinary stories, the primary one set against the lead up to World War One. The protagonist, Lieutenant Anton Hofmiller is an idealistic Austrian army officer and it is his pity, something of a double edged sword, which is at the root of this tragedy. Had Stefan Zweig written more novels I would have already added them to my "to read" list, as it is at least he created this one memorable work. It is well worth reading.I'll also take this opportunity to recommend the only other book I have read by Stefan Zweig, and that is his fascinating memoir The World of Yesterday.4/5
—Nigeyb
