Why people recommend it
The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth is a sweeping classic novel that chronicles the decline and fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire through the multi-generational saga of the Troッタ family. On Conversations with Tyler, Tom Tugendhat enthusiastically recommended the novel when asked for his favorite work of fiction, calling it simply fabulous. Separately, on The Book Review podcast, John Williams discussed the novel alongside Jennifer Szalai, noting that the impending collapse of the Habsburg monarchy was a profound personal devastation for Roth, which fueled the emotional depth of his writing. Williams described The Radetzky March as Roth's most classic book, praising its grand scale as a deeply moving family story rooted in historical catastrophe. Szalai also shared her experience of newly reading the novel for a roundtable discussion, adding to the collective literary appreciation of Roth's masterpiece. Together, these commentators highlighted how the novel captures the tragic sunset of an entire imperial epoch through intimate human portraits and exquisite prose that continues to resonate with modern readers and critics alike.
Who recommended it
- Tom Tugendhat Recommended
- Jennifer Szalai Discussed
- John Williams Discussed
Tom Tugendhat — 1 mention
“uh the retki March it's uh it's fabulous”
Jennifer Szalai — 1 mention
“so I have started reading the retki march by Joseph Roth which I had never read before”
John Williams — 1 mention
“his great one of his great subjects was the end of the austr Hungarian Empire which was a great personal Devastation to him and his what's probably considered his most classic book the retki March is a sweeping family story”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
- An American Marriage
- Binti: The Night Masquerade
- Circe
- Colony
- Complete poems and selected letters
- Cowboys Are My Weakness
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“and I've actually never read I guess his most famous book which is the retsky March”