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Of course there are many more books that talk about (Europe’s) downfall. What’s your favorite? Let me know in the comments.

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Buongiorno. Your post reminds me of 'Death in Venice' by Thomas Mann. Aging Writer. Just before World War One. Goes to Venice looking for spiritual bloom. Ends up living in erotic decadence. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53061.Death_in_Venice

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Good one! Thomas Mann knew what backdrop he needed for his stories...

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Great novella. Which in turn always reminds me of Hungarian writer Antal Szerb’s amazing novel Journey By Moonlight, which lifts some themes and settings from Death In Venice but then transcends into a whole new masterpiece

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Thank you Gijs, I would love to read it now. If anyone wants to know more about Szerb, here's more on Goodreads: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=journey+by+moonlight+antal+szerb&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

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I should check that out then. Never read anything from a Hungarian writer!

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January 22, 2021
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Thank you for sharing Leena!

Lo! Death has reared himself a throne

In a strange city lying alone

Far down within the dim West,

Where the good and the bad and the worst and the best

Have gone to their eternal rest.

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