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Others' Paradise
Fiction. Translated from the German by Stephanie Howard and Amy R. Nestor. Towards the end of his life Leppin wrote: "Prague remains my deepest experience. Its conflict, its mystery, its rat-catcher's beauty have ever provided my poetic efforts with new inspiration and meaning." OTHERS' PARADISE represents one of the most intense expressions of this experience. Beginning with the highly imagistic "The Doors of Life," the eight stories contained in this volume detail the contours of the lives and visions of a collection of Prague inhabitants, from a prostitute bound to the decay of the old Jewish Quarter, to a man caught in the memory of a lost love and a shoemaker whose knowledge of the world has been constricted to the view from the window of his cellar workroom. Binding their personal histories, woven into their most intimate details, is Prague itself, the city whose nature, mythical and yet all-too-real, gives shape and force to their desires while simultaneously determining their frustrations.
141 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1921
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About the author
Paul Leppin
19 books22 followersPaul Leppin (27 November 1878, Prague (Prag, Praha), Royal Bohemia, Austria – 10 April 1945, Prague, Bohemia, Bohemia & Moravia/3rd Czechoslovakia) was a 20th-century Bohemian writer of German language, who was born and lived in Prague.
Although he wrote in German, he was in close contact with Czech literature. He translated Czech books and wrote articles on Czech literature. He was also an editor of two literary periodicals, Frühling and Wir.
Although he wrote in German, he was in close contact with Czech literature. He translated Czech books and wrote articles on Czech literature. He was also an editor of two literary periodicals, Frühling and Wir.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 23, 2019
“The old house stood on a narrow, darkened street in the Jewish Quarter.”
Here are eight tales taking the reader into the Prague of a little more than a hundred years ago. Essentially, the first line of the book sets the tone for everything that follows. These eight brief stories depict the lives lived in those narrow, dark, and solemn streets in the old section of Prague. Prostitutes, charlatans, petty criminals and philanderers, drunken students, a lone cobbler, and poor young girls led into a debauched life by necessity or naiveté. Lives lived brightly, but shortly; and, lives wasted away, and ending in a whimper. There are no happy endings here; more than one story finds a poor soul feeding the fishes in the River Vltava. Yet, Leppin somehow manages to imbue it all with a tint of rose, as if to say: It is what it is; we are all born to die, and in tragedy at least there is beauty.
The author himself was a fixture in the seedier districts of Prague, and was dubbed the uncrowned King of the Prague Bohemians. The brief note at the end of the book informs that Paul Leppin was German (and wrote in German), but chose to stay in Prague after the formation of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. Due to his affiliations with the Jewish intelligentsia of the city, he was seen as a suspect individual by the German occupation force, when Czechoslovakia was occupied in 1939. He lived to see the end of the war, but succumbed to syphilis in April, 1945.
Here are eight tales taking the reader into the Prague of a little more than a hundred years ago. Essentially, the first line of the book sets the tone for everything that follows. These eight brief stories depict the lives lived in those narrow, dark, and solemn streets in the old section of Prague. Prostitutes, charlatans, petty criminals and philanderers, drunken students, a lone cobbler, and poor young girls led into a debauched life by necessity or naiveté. Lives lived brightly, but shortly; and, lives wasted away, and ending in a whimper. There are no happy endings here; more than one story finds a poor soul feeding the fishes in the River Vltava. Yet, Leppin somehow manages to imbue it all with a tint of rose, as if to say: It is what it is; we are all born to die, and in tragedy at least there is beauty.
The author himself was a fixture in the seedier districts of Prague, and was dubbed the uncrowned King of the Prague Bohemians. The brief note at the end of the book informs that Paul Leppin was German (and wrote in German), but chose to stay in Prague after the formation of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. Due to his affiliations with the Jewish intelligentsia of the city, he was seen as a suspect individual by the German occupation force, when Czechoslovakia was occupied in 1939. He lived to see the end of the war, but succumbed to syphilis in April, 1945.
June 23, 2022
Excellent prose stylist; gothic, decadent, dream-like, a turn of the century czech Huysmans.
September 26, 2018
This is the second novel by Paul Leppin that I have read after, Severin’s Journey into the Dark. I enjoyed his other novel more than this one, however this collection of short stories had a couple hidden gems. The short story, “The Wonderdoll” left the greatest impression. The image of young Hans tightly grasping Maria in the river was eerie. I also enjoyed “The Ghost of the Jewish Quarter”. “Her nervous body writhed under the torture of renunciation: every day spent aflame – every hour – sharpened her need. Until she could endure it no longer” (pg. 54).
I read this novel directly after The Golem by Gustav Meyrink. Both novels take place in Prague, specifically the Old Jewish Quarter which made the description of the setting familiar. In The Golem, Meyrink wrote, “…crime did stalk these streets, day and night, like a disembodied spirit in search of a physical form through which to manifest itself. It is in the air, but we do not see it. Suddenly, it precipitates in a human soul, but we are not aware of it and by the time we sense it, it has long since dissolved back into thin air. All that we hear are dark rumors of some hideous deed” (pg. 51). Paul Leppin’s short stories definitely exemplify this passage.
I read this novel directly after The Golem by Gustav Meyrink. Both novels take place in Prague, specifically the Old Jewish Quarter which made the description of the setting familiar. In The Golem, Meyrink wrote, “…crime did stalk these streets, day and night, like a disembodied spirit in search of a physical form through which to manifest itself. It is in the air, but we do not see it. Suddenly, it precipitates in a human soul, but we are not aware of it and by the time we sense it, it has long since dissolved back into thin air. All that we hear are dark rumors of some hideous deed” (pg. 51). Paul Leppin’s short stories definitely exemplify this passage.
July 11, 2023
4.5 stars!
In terms of writing, this may be one of the best book of the year! Credits to the translator; I guess, I can't be an expert here because I haven't read the original text, not knowing the language, but the English traslation was exquisite!
And its dark fairytale-like charm was also undeniable.
I bought the paperback book back in Prague, the day before leaving, and I couldn't start reading it there, but it was nevertheless immersive, with so many familiar names and places, and yet from a different point in time.
In terms of writing, this may be one of the best book of the year! Credits to the translator; I guess, I can't be an expert here because I haven't read the original text, not knowing the language, but the English traslation was exquisite!
And its dark fairytale-like charm was also undeniable.
I bought the paperback book back in Prague, the day before leaving, and I couldn't start reading it there, but it was nevertheless immersive, with so many familiar names and places, and yet from a different point in time.
October 20, 2025
I bought this book while in Prague as I wanted to read more by Czech authors. The stories were beautifully written (or so the translation suggested!) about such endlessly tragic topics. It made me feel that the author must have experienced a lot of loss and heartbreak during his life. There is something that feels quite unique about a series of short stories about unrequited love or how people break others in the name of love or lust. The descriptions in some of the tales of Prague were particularly evocative having just returned from there.
January 23, 2025
很平淡的一本故事集。講男孩愛上蠟像的The Wonderdoll有一點格林童話或鄉野傳奇的風情；同名的Other’s Paradise講述一個在地窖裡工作的鞋匠透過窗只能看見路人來去的雙腳，卻憑此愛上了一個女孩的故事，角度很有趣但寫的不夠好看；The Ghost of Jewish Quarter突如其來的轉折部分與猶太區翻新的主題相得益彰，讀起來還有點味道，尤其我在布拉格的住處位於猶太區更有感覺。這幾個故事比較有意思，其他都不值得三星。Leppin寫東西太雜亂了，在敘述濃淡的拿捏上很不成比例，花費大力氣寫出來的敘述性段落也缺乏新意導致我很常想要跳過。
＊於布拉格卡夫卡書店購入，前往維也納的火車上閱畢。
＊於布拉格卡夫卡書店購入，前往維也納的火車上閱畢。
July 1, 2017
Tells short stories that reveal a fractured man desperate to escape the monotony of the everyday life but simultaneously scared of the consequences. Many symbolist inspired pieces comparable to Marcel Schwob
February 27, 2019
Favorite story --- The Funeral of Herr Muckenschnabel
October 28, 2022
Reminded my of Edgar Allen Poe
November 5, 2024
I think Leppin is a special author.
April 29, 2013
Fast becoming one of my favorite authors. A predecessor of Kafka in love with Prague's dark places and fractured cityscape. This is a series of short tales that are as much psychological thrillers as modernist remakes of East European fables.
January 4, 2010
Read these stories on my walk to the library, stopped by my favorite reading spot for an hour. Beautiful language and imagery. I would like to re-read this sometime soon.
April 11, 2011
The writing is beautiful with many a lyric line. The protagonists in these stories though too often have just one dimension, their tragic flaw, explored.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews