William M. Johnston, "Der Osterreichische Mensch. Kulturgeschichte der Eigenart Osterreichs." Bohlau, Wien -- Koln -- Weimar, 2010, 394 p. (German)

William M. Johnston, "The Austrian Man: Cultural History of the Character of Austria." Vienna, Cologne, Weimar: Bohlau, 2010, 394 pp. (English)

The article reviews Johnston's book on the cultural history of Austria that intertwines the notion of literary history with the concept of history to explore phases in Austrian history without following a chronological order. The book is intended for experts and those well informed with the subject matter. The average reader might have a difficult time finding a way through the complexity of terms, huge numbers of authors and persons, as well as the wide range of issues discussed, conceived as almost a totality of the geographic, psychological, cultural, and socio-historical characteristics of Austria -- i.e., of "Austrianess" -- in the period between 1910 and 1970.