THE AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION
The Autograph Collection is an absorbing family memoir that weaves together mystery, history and insight into the human experience, revealing a courageous story on the eve of World War II.
As the Nazi grip tightened on Vienna in 1938, a British Duchess walked into a Vienna bookshop that was located in Hitler’s new headquarters in the Hotel Imperial, and changed the trajectory of a man's life.
This story invites readers to explore history through the lens of family memorabilia and unravels how a British Duchess ignored the hopelessness around her to save the life of an Austrian bookseller and his family.
An exploration on the themes of survival and resilience, The Autograph Collection asks: what would you venture to save a stranger?
At the heart of the Autograph Collection lies the interplay between identity, memory and historical documentation. Through the lens of Karl Buchberger’s autograph books, Zgodzinski examines how written signatures serve as both a record of existence and a means of survival. The signatures in Karl’s collection are more than inscriptions; they are testaments to relationships, cultural exchanges and the unspoken power of affiliation. The book delves into the idea, that a name on paper can be a lifeline, a credential, or a reflection of social standing.
Vienna in the interwar years became a stage where politics and art intermingle, a space where Karl’s bookshop serves as both a sanctuary and surveillance post. Zgodzinski’s writing captures this delicate tension, illuminating the forces that shape both personal and collective histories. Her narrative is deeply introspective, yet grounded in meticulous historical research, bridging the personal with the universal.
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-Kiana, Reader’s Report for the Autograph Collection