Jerusalmy
2015 Longlist

Saving Mozart

Translated from the original French by Howard Curtis
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ABOUT
THE BOOK

Raphaël Jerusalmy’s debut novel takes the form of the journal of Otto J. Steiner, a former music critic of Jewish descent suffering from tuberculosis in a Salzburg sanatorium in 1939. Drained by his illness and isolated in the gloomy sanatorium, Steiner finds solace only in music. He is horrified to learn that the Nazis’ are transforming a Mozart festival into a fascist event. Steiner feels helpless at first, but an invitation from a friend presents him with an opportunity to fight back. Under the guise of organizing a concert for Nazi officials, Steiner formulates a plan to save Mozart that could dramatically change the course of the war.

 

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Raphaël
Jerusalmy

Raphaël Jerusalmy was born in Montmartre, France in 1954. After receiving diplomas from the Ecole Normale Supérieure and the Sorbonne, he worked with Israeli Military Intelligence. He currently sells antique books in Tel-Aviv.

Raphaël Jerusalmy was born in Montmartre, France in 1954. After receiving diplomas from the Ecole Normale Supérieure and the Sorbonne, he worked with Israeli Military Intelligence. He currently sells antique books in Tel-Aviv.

ABOUT
THE TRANSLATOR Howard
Curtis

Howard Curtis has almost forty years of experience as a literary translator from French, Italian and Spanish. Among the many authors he has translated are Georges Simenon, Gianrico Carofiglio, Jean-Claude Izzo, Georges Bernanos, Giorgio Scerbanenco and Santiago Gamboa.

Howard Curtis has almost forty years of experience as a literary translator from French, Italian and Spanish. Among the many authors he has translated are Georges Simenon, Gianrico Carofiglio, Jean-Claude Izzo, Georges Bernanos, Giorgio Scerbanenco and Santiago Gamboa.

NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS

A musical attack in Austria in 1939: a singular and overpowering description, with humour, of the first years of Nazism. A cruel story, a bubble of revolt in full inhumanity, a peculiar wildly subversive novel. Sick humour, precise cruelty, rogish gravity, sober and sarcastic tone with a feverish rhythm.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Date published
14/11/2013
Country
France
Original Language
French
Publisher
Europa Editions
Translator
Howard Curtis
Translation
Translated from the original French by Howard Curtis

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