** ANNOUNCEMENT OF BOOK REVIEW **
_A HONEYMOON IN VIENNA, 1898-1899_
By Mary Leah Christmas
A review of _A Honeymoon in Vienna, 1898-1899_, has just
been published in the fall issue of the _Historical Review
of Berks County (PA)_. The book, published earlier this
year, is based on the honeymoon diary of Vara Kalbach
Bucher, the great-grandmother of Mrs. Christmas.
The review, by Barbara R. Goda of the Historical Society of
Berks County, touches on what brought Dr. and Mrs. Hiester
Bucher to Vienna during the time of Mark Twain's residence.
The Buchers would meet Mark Twain, Clara Clemens, and
Theodor Leschetizky at the home of the U.S. Ambassador on
Thanksgiving Day, 1898; and Goda makes note of the gaffe by
Mrs. Bucher that would unwittingly fuel Mark Twain's essay,
"Diplomatic Pay and Clothes."
The Buchers lived in Vienna from October 1898 to March 1899,
and the reviewer writes that, "while many entries in the
diary are short and describe the routine of daily life,
others provide insight into the political regime under
Emperor Franz Joseph and still others describe cultural
traditions..." Extensive annotations in the book also note
the people and places the Buchers had in common with Mark Twain.
The review pronounces the book "delightful" and "a good
afternoon read."
_A Honeymoon in Vienna, 1898-1899_, is 98 pages, including
four pages of photographs, and retails for $6.95. Copies are
still available to Forum readers at the special price of
$6.00 each from: Mary Leah Christmas, P.O. Box 1475, Dover,
DE 19903-1475.
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