The Habsburg Café

Award-winning author Andrew Riemer revisits Eastern Europe, having left it at the age of ten, and presents a sparkling account of his travels in Austria and Hungary, the heartland of the Habsburg Empire. He takes us from Vienna, which he calls a theme park dedicated to images of a romantic past, to the chaos of contemporary Hungary. The cities and towns of his childhood memories have altered almost beyond recognition and yet are somehow familiar, with the spirit of the long-dead Habsburg world evident-the cafés are still filled with cakes oozing cream and custard, and the rich aroma of freshly roasted coffee and vanilla. A travel book, an exploration of the past and a shrewd examination of contemporary politics and culture, The Habsburg Café illuminates the experiences of a troubled and perplexing age.