As promised we’re continuing our travel through literature series today for those who aren’t managing to get away this summer. Last week we travelled down the Original Route 66 in books, but today we’re going for something a bit more exotic as we take the route of the original Orient Express.
The Orient Express run it’s original route from 1883 to 1962 and so we’ve chosen books set between those two dates, one from each stop along the way as we travel in luxury from Paris to Istanbul on the most famous train of all time.
All aboard the original Orient Express in a literary travel across land, and through time.
Paris
Paris Peasant, Louis Aragon – Simon Watson Taylor
Paris Peasant, set in Paris in 1926 is considered to be one of the central works of surrealism. It’s an exhilarating read that offers stunning descriptions of the working class east of Paris at the time.
Strasbourg
The Monk – Matthew Gregory Lewis
Ok I confess, despite a comprehensive search I cannot find a (decent) novel set in Strasbourg between the relevant dates. However, I did find The Monk, published in 1796. This Gothic work is set in various locations and one of them is Strasbourg. The Monk is particularly interesting because it was written in just 10 weeks by a 19-year-old Matthew Gregory Lewis, and its scandalous and convoluted plot has made it one the most important Gothic novels of its time.
Munich
A Night of Long Knives – Rebecca Cantrell
As we’re travelling through Germany it seems a shame not to make the most of the history of the day and A Night of Long Knives does this perfectly. Set in Munich in 1934 the book follows the story of Hannah Vogel trying to find her son in a war torn Germany.
Vienna
The City Without Jews – Hugo Bettauer
It seems impossible to take a train through Europe and not touch on the history of the continent and for the Vienna stop it’s Vienna, 1924. This political satire by Hugo Bettauer imagines an Austria where Jews have emigrated due to forced expulsion, but rather than a better Austria, what is left is rather drab. It’s premise makes this an interesting historical novel given that we know what came after the period in which this book was written.
Budapest
Life is a Dream – Gyula Krudy
Life is a Dream was released in 1931 and is a collection of ten short stories set across Hungary and focussing on the poor and dispossessed of the early 20th century. Witty, comic and romantic, Krudy’s tales offer something for everything, and a great way to mark the Budapest leg of our journey.
Bucharest
Sidney Sheldon – Windmills of the Gods
This doesn’t strictly fit the bill as it was published in the 1980s, but Sidney Sheldon’s Windmills of the Gods isn’t set within any specific timescale. Set in Bucharest the novel explores east and west confrontation, espionage and terror.
Varna
The Hills of Varna – Geoffrey Trease
Today I learned that Varna is in Bulgaria, and there aren’t many books that are set there. The Hills of Varna was released in 1948 but is set across continental Europe and is considered to be an important children’s historical novel. Set in the early 16th century the premise is an adventure but the novel has been praised for illuminating the historical process.
Istanbul
A Mind at Peace – Ahmet Hamdi Tanipar
Now we’re off the train it’s time for a walk around Istanbul and for this I’ve chosen A Mind at Peace, considered by many to be the greatest novel ever written about Istanbul and described as a lyrical tribute to both the city and human love.
Bonus Selection
Murder on the Orient Express – Agatha Christie
And for our bonus selection we have the Poirot novel, Murder on the Orient Express, which isn’t actually set on the original train but on the Simplon Orient Express, one of the many routes that came after.
Murder on the Orient Express US
Murder on the Orient Express UK
So that’s it. The Orient Express doesn’t really exist in this form any more and hasn’t done for a long time, so we took a journey not just through land, but through time too. I’ll be back soon with another adventure in literature.
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