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Two Novellas: In the Sanatorium and Facing the Sea
David Vogel has long been regarded as a leading figure of Hebrew literature, and his work has been compared to that of Joseph Roth, Thomas Mann, and Franz Kafka.
In the Sanatorium was Vogel’s first published work of fiction, translated here into English for the first time. It is set in a charitable Jewish hospital for consumptives, where death is always close, desire is heightened, and breaking the rules is exciting. In his depiction of the sanatorium’s hothouse atmosphere, Vogel masterfully portrays the far-reaching effects of the decadence that was so prevalent in early-twentieth-century Europe.
Written in 1932, Facing the Sea tells the story of a couple spending the summer on the French Riviera. Their idyllic holiday, however, ends up testing their relationship in ways they never thought possible. Deeply evocative of a bygone era, and intensely erotic, it shows Vogel at the height of his powers.
Published together, these two novellas celebrate the legacy of one of the twentieth century’s great writers.
In the Sanatorium was Vogel’s first published work of fiction, translated here into English for the first time. It is set in a charitable Jewish hospital for consumptives, where death is always close, desire is heightened, and breaking the rules is exciting. In his depiction of the sanatorium’s hothouse atmosphere, Vogel masterfully portrays the far-reaching effects of the decadence that was so prevalent in early-twentieth-century Europe.
Written in 1932, Facing the Sea tells the story of a couple spending the summer on the French Riviera. Their idyllic holiday, however, ends up testing their relationship in ways they never thought possible. Deeply evocative of a bygone era, and intensely erotic, it shows Vogel at the height of his powers.
Published together, these two novellas celebrate the legacy of one of the twentieth century’s great writers.
- GenresFiction
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1926
About the author
David Vogel
15 books11 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
David Vogel (1891–1944) was a Russian-born Hebrew poet, novelist, and diarist. He was born in the town of Satanov in the Podolia region of the western Ukraine. A Yiddish speaker, he grew up in Vilna and Lvov, settling in Vienna in 1912. During World War I he was arrested as a Russian enemy alien. In 1929–1930 he spent time in Palestine, returning afterwards to live in Berlin.
After fleeing to Paris in 1933, he was interned in France in 1940, this time as an Austrian enemy alien. Deported in 1944, he is presumed to have died in Auschwitz. Among his works are collections of poems in free meter and several novels edited posthumously by Menachem Perry. His diaries covering the period 1912–1922 were published as The End of the Days. The novel Married Life was written between 1929 and 1939. A semi-autobiographical novel, They All Went Out to Battle, is a Kafkaesque/carnivalesque depiction of deliberate, radical self-isolation in the French concentration camp.
The only book of poems he published in his lifetime was Lifney Hasha'ar Ha'afel ("Before the Dark Gate"), in Vienna in 1923, but his poetry was influential with other Hebrew poets in the 1950s.
The critic Yael S. Feldman cites Vogel as an example in which bilingualism affected modern Hebrew poetry.
David Vogel (1891–1944) was a Russian-born Hebrew poet, novelist, and diarist. He was born in the town of Satanov in the Podolia region of the western Ukraine. A Yiddish speaker, he grew up in Vilna and Lvov, settling in Vienna in 1912. During World War I he was arrested as a Russian enemy alien. In 1929–1930 he spent time in Palestine, returning afterwards to live in Berlin.
After fleeing to Paris in 1933, he was interned in France in 1940, this time as an Austrian enemy alien. Deported in 1944, he is presumed to have died in Auschwitz. Among his works are collections of poems in free meter and several novels edited posthumously by Menachem Perry. His diaries covering the period 1912–1922 were published as The End of the Days. The novel Married Life was written between 1929 and 1939. A semi-autobiographical novel, They All Went Out to Battle, is a Kafkaesque/carnivalesque depiction of deliberate, radical self-isolation in the French concentration camp.
The only book of poems he published in his lifetime was Lifney Hasha'ar Ha'afel ("Before the Dark Gate"), in Vienna in 1923, but his poetry was influential with other Hebrew poets in the 1950s.
The critic Yael S. Feldman cites Vogel as an example in which bilingualism affected modern Hebrew poetry.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 15, 2021
Utterly beautiful prose. Reminded me of Vogel’s contemporary, DH Lawrence. Evocative, erotic and intense. I loved these two novellas and will be looking for more of Vogel’s work.
January 10, 2025
These have certainly made me want to read more of Vogel's work even though I didn't absolutely love these two Novellas.
Facing the sea really reminds me of The Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway and Hot Milk by Deborah Levy. I feel like both those books must have been inspired by this novella even down to the fact that a glass of hot milk is mentioned in Vogel's novella! I think I will have to go deeper into the parallels in a longer blog post.
Neither of these novellas is plot driven and are largely character stories/glimpse into the life of... Stories.
Facing the sea really reminds me of The Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway and Hot Milk by Deborah Levy. I feel like both those books must have been inspired by this novella even down to the fact that a glass of hot milk is mentioned in Vogel's novella! I think I will have to go deeper into the parallels in a longer blog post.
Neither of these novellas is plot driven and are largely character stories/glimpse into the life of... Stories.
May 17, 2025
"In The Sanatorium" was the better of the two and the interaction between the characters a bit more interesting. "Facing the Sea" was just dull.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews