Where do you get your ideas?It's probably the most common question an author gets asked during his or her career.This anthology isn't meant to answer that question, but it is designed to give readers a glimpse into how the imagination works.These talented authors were shown a haunting piece of artwork by acclaimed artist Alan M. Clark and then asked: "What worlds do you see hidden inside this painting?"The stories collected in this book are their answers.

Part One of this book shows how bureaucracy sustained the Habsburg Empire while inciting economists, legal theorists, and socialists to urge reform. Part Two examines how Vienna's coffeehouses, theaters, and concert halls stimulated creativity together with complacency. Part Three explores the fin-de-siecle world view known as Viennese Impressionism. Interacting with positivistic science, this reverence for the ephemeral inspired such pioneers ad Mach, Wittgenstein, Buber, and Freud. Part Four describes the vision of an ordered cosmos which flourished among Germans in Bohemia. Their philosophers cultivated a Leibnizian faith whose eventual collapse haunted Kafka and Mahler. Part Five explains how in Hungary wishful thinking reinforced a political activism rare elsewhere in Habsburg domains. Engage intellectuals like Lukacs and Mannheim systematized the sociology of knowledge, while two other Hungarians, Herzel and Nordau, initiated political Zionism. Part Six investigates certain attributes that have permeated Austrian thought, such as hostility to technology and delight in polar opposites.

The question of what it takes "to be a man" comes under scrutiny in this sharp, often playful, cultural critique of the German duel--the deadliest type of one-on-one combat in fin-de-siécle Europe. At a time when dueling was generally restricted to swords or had been abolished altogether in other nations, the custom of fighting to the death with pistols flourished among Germany's upper-class males, who took perverse comfort in defying their country's weakly enforced laws. From initial provocation to final death agony, Kevin McAleer describes with ironic humor the complex protocol of the German duel, inviting his reader into the disturbing mindset of its practitioners and the society that valued this socially important but ultimately absurd pastime. Through a narrative that cannot restrain itself from poking fun at the egos and prejudices that come to the fore in the pursuit of "manliness," McAleer offers both an entertaining and thought-provoking portrait of a cultural phenomenon that had far-reaching effects. The author employs a wealth of anecdotes to re-create the dueling event in all its variety, from the level of insult--which could range from loudly ridiculing a man's choice of entrée in an upscale restaurant to, more commonly, bedding his wife--to such intricacies as the time and place of the duel, the guest list, the selection of weapons and number of paces, dress options, and the decision regarding when to let the attending physician set up his instruments on the field. As he exposes the reader to the fierce mentality behind these proceedings, McAleer describes the duel as a litmus test of courage, the masculine apotheosis, which led its male practitioners to lay claim to both psychic and legal entitlements in Wilhelmine society. The aristocratic nature of the duel, with its feudal ethos of chivalry, gave its upper-middle-class practitioners even more opportunity to distinguish themselves from the underclasses and other marginalized groups--such as Socialists, Jews, left-liberals, Catholics, and pacifists, who, for various reasons, were stigmatized as incapable of "giving satisfaction." The duel, according to McAleer, was thus a social mirror, and the dueling issue political dynamite. Throughout these accounts, the author sustains a personal voice to convey the horror and fascination of what at first appears to be simply a curious fringe activity, but which he goes on to reveal as an integral element of German society's consciousness in the late nineteenth century. In so doing, he strengthens the argument that Germany followed a path of development separate from the rest of Europe, leading to World War I and ultimately to Hitler and the Nazis. Originally published in 1994. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Student life and political perspectives at Wilhelmine universities

During the London Blitz, a veteran from World War One goes in search of the author Arthur Machen. He has some questions to ask him… “What did I really see in the trenches?” “Were those angels?” “Who am I?” The answers, when they come, challenge everything he has ever believed to be true. When Arthur Machen's "The Bowmen" was published in 1915, many English readers believed his tale of heavenly archers defeating the advancing German troops of WWI to be true. Here, Tim Lebbon & Simon Clark pay homage to Machen with their novella Exorcising Angels, set against the backdrop of The Blitz of WWII, when (in the words of the Bishop of London) all of Great Britain needed to pray a "plea to the Heavenly Father for divine protection against these Swastikad angels of Death."

At the core of 'The Dueling Machine' lies a vibrant collection that traverses the realms of science fiction with an astute analysis of human nature and the potential pitfalls of technological advancements. This anthology, edited by Ben Bova and Myron R. Lewis, brings together a compelling range of literary styles, from speculative fiction to cerebral science fiction, highlighting the diversity and significance of the works included. It serves not only as a mirror reflecting societal worries about technologys impact on human identity but also as a beacon showcasing the imaginative breadth of its contributors. The contributing authors, under the guidance of Bova and Lewis, are veterans and visionaries in the field of science fiction. Their collective expertise spans decades, contributing significantly to the golden age of science fiction and its evolution. The anthology resonates with the historical and cultural movements of speculative exploration, embodying a period of time when science fiction began to be taken seriously as a literary genre. The varied backgrounds of these authors enrich the anthology, offering a spectrum of perspectives that challenge and engage readers on multiple levels. 'The Dueling Machine' is recommended for readers seeking to immerse themselves in a multifaceted exploration of science fiction. Its educational value is unparalleled, providing insights into the genres capacity to question and critique contemporary society through speculative storytelling. This collection is not only a testament to the literary merit of science fiction but also an invitation to engage in the dialogue between the diverse voices that have shaped the genre.