Joseph Wechsberg was born in Ostrava, Moravia, on 29 August 1907 and died in Vienna, Austria, on 10 April 1983. He and his wife requested and received asylum in the United States in 1939 when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia. His mother was among the Czech Jews interned by the Nazis and later died at Auschwitz. Over his career he was a prolific writer who produced several novels and over two dozen works of nonfiction, including books on music and musicians, elegant portrayal of peoples and places, gourmet cooking, and contributed numerous articles to publications such as The New Yorker.

          A good many years ago my favorite used book seller in Evanston, Illinois, (Bookman’s Alley), knowing of my interest in things Austrian and Czechoslovakian, introduced me to the writings of Joseph Wechsberg. I was so impressed by his works that I set myself the goal of acquiring a complete set of his books. I made it only to 18 of his of 30 published books (in addition to his many articles for magazines) before the store closed and I lost my access to his other books. (I purchase such books only when I can personally examine them–the only books I ever buy online are paperback novels.)

          With deep regret, my present circumstances are such that I must try to sell almost everything I own. I hope that my loss will enable some fortunate purchasers among my viewers to make their own acquaintance with this remarkable and versatile writer.

          The prices I show below have been drawn from my comparisons for comparable books contained on the web site Addall, adjusted for any less than quoted conditions. These amounts are negotiable. (Amazon.com quotes lower prices, some so ridiculously lower, such as less than two dollars for a hardback first edition, plus shipping, that I myself would not ever consider ordering such items from this source.) Prices shown are current values for each of the individual volumes. These books are offered as a set (all 18 volumes) and, if purchased as a set, the price for the 18 volumes would be $522.

          If you wish to inquire about any given book, let me know. I can then provide you with a detailed description of the condition of the book and its dust jacket, if any.

Books for Sale

[NB: All books have good quality Dust Jackets unless otherwise noted]

Wechsberg, Joseph. Blue Trout and Black Truffles. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1953. 1st Edition. (No Dust Jacket). $25.00.

__________. Dining at the Pavillon. Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1962. 1st Edition. (No Dust Jacket). $20.00.

__________. Homecoming. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1946. 1st Edition. $35.00.

__________. Journey Through the Land of Eloquent Silence. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1964. 1st Edition. $10.00.

__________. Looking for a Bluebird. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1945. $5.00.

__________. Sweet and Sour. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1948. $20.00.

__________. The Best Things in Life. Boston: Little Brown and Company, ND. 1st Edition. (No Dust Jacket). $10.00.

__________. The Continental Touch. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1948. (No Dust Jacket). $22.00.

__________. The Danube. New York: Newsweek Books, 1979. 1st Edition. $15.00.

__________. The First Time Around. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1970. 1st Edition. $50.00.

__________. The Glory of the Violin. New York: The Viking Press, 1973. $30.00.

__________. The Lost World of the Great Spas. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1979. 1st U.S. Edition. (No Dust Jacket). $15.00.

__________. The Merchant Bankers. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1966. 1st Edition. $120.00.

__________. The Opera. New York: The Macmillian Company, 1972. 1st Printing. $25.00.

__________. Verdi. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1974. $35.00.

__________. The Vienna I Knew. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1979. 1st Edition. $15.00.

__________. The Waltz Emperors. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1975. 1st Edition. $50.00.

__________. Vienna, My Vienna. New York: The Macmillian Company, 1968. 1st Edition. $20.00.