Stefan and Lotte Zweig's South American Letters: New York, Argentina and Brazil, 1940-42

Davis and Marshall offer a rare glimpse into the lives of the prolific author Stefan Zweig and his second wife, Lotte, through a collection of personal letters. The book begins with an introduction to Zweig before WWII. Upon moving to Britain, he met and employed Lotte as a personal assistant of sorts. The two traveled the world together and married shortly after Zweig's first marriage dissolved. Known for their political apathy and lack of knowledge of current events, the duo was more concerned with traveling and Zweig's writing. The editors present the vital historical knowledge of not only the infamous couple, but also the growing political turmoil that would escalate into WWII, illuminated in part by the organization of the correspondence here. Though written mostly to Lotte's brother and sister-in-law, the letters reveal a growing depression and a lack of contact with friends and family, illuminating both the general hopelessness common to that era and the importance of a sense of belonging. (Sept.)