The Tobacconist

Seventeen-year-old Franz Huchel leaves his rural home and moves to Vienna in 1937 to become an apprentice at a tobacco shop. His employer Otto Trsnyek teaches him the trade while introducing him to the complex society and politics of pre-war Vienna. Among the shop's regular customers is Sigmund Freud, who becomes a mentor figure to Franz as the young man navigates romance, sexuality, and his growing understanding of the adult world. Their conversations provide Franz with guidance during a time of personal and societal upheaval. The tobacco shop serves as a microcosm of Vienna as political tensions rise and the Nazi threat looms larger. Franz observes the changes in his customers, his neighborhood, and the city itself while trying to maintain the normal routines of work and daily life. The novel explores themes of coming-of-age and loss of innocence against the backdrop of historical forces beyond individual control. Through precise prose and careful attention to both small moments and sweeping changes, Seethaler creates a portrait of a pivotal moment in Austrian history through one young man's experiences.

Readers emphasize the book's portrayal of 1937 Vienna and its blend of personal coming-of-age story against the backdrop of rising Nazism. Many note the effective use of Sigmund Freud as a character who helps shape the protagonist's development. Likes: - Clear, straightforward prose style - Vivid descriptions of pre-war Vienna - Complex character relationships - Balance of romance with political tension Dislikes: - Pacing feels slow in middle sections - Some found the ending abrupt - Translation from German occasionally stiff - Several readers wanted more depth to secondary characters Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (13,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (1,200+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (900+ ratings) Notable reader comment: "The strength lies in small moments - conversations over cigarettes, quiet observations of a city losing its soul." - Goodreads reviewer Several readers compared the tone and style to Stefan Zweig's works about pre-war Vienna.

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Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada A working-class couple in Nazi Berlin conducts a resistance campaign after losing their son in the war.

🍃 Robert Seethaler wrote the novel in German (original title: Der Trafikant), and it was later translated into English by Charlotte Collins in 2016. 📚 The book is set in 1937 Vienna, just before the Nazi annexation of Austria, and features real-life historical figure Sigmund Freud as a main character. 🏆 The novel has been adapted into a film of the same name, released in 2018, starring Bruno Ganz as Sigmund Freud. 🌟 The author, Robert Seethaler, worked as an actor before becoming a writer and has appeared in several German television productions. 🗝️ The story was partly inspired by Seethaler's grandfather, who worked in a Viennese tobacco shop similar to the one featured in the novel.