Posthumous Papers of a Living Author

This exquisite 1987 Eridanos Press edition inaugurated The Eridanos Library series with Robert Musil's wry, philosophical short prose pieces. Musil, author of the monumental The Man Without Qualities, here presents miniature meditations on modern life's absurdities and profundities, translated with precision and wit by Peter Wortsman.

The collection's title captures Musil's ironic sensibility—these "posthumous" papers written during his lifetime explore mortality, consciousness, and the gap between experience and expression. Each brief text operates as both fiction and philosophical reflection, demonstrating Musil's genius for finding metaphysical depth in everyday observation.

Eridanos Press, founded to publish overlooked European masters in distinguished translations, made this its inaugural volume—a fitting choice given Musil's importance to twentieth-century literature. The press's commitment to elegant design and scholarly care made its books prized by collectors. This paperback represents a significant moment in bringing Musil's shorter work to American readers, complementing Knopf's English publication of his major novel.

Publishing Details: Eridanos Press, Hygiene, Colorado, 1987. The Eridanos Library 1. Trade paperback. Translated from the German by Peter Wortsman.