Book Review: Confusion is a dated but worthy story of its time. Apparently the German title of this novella is more literally "Confusion of Feelings," but the single word title here is modern and evocative. Stefan Zweig (1881-1942) pours on the passion in his moving style to bring the reader into a heady mix of emotion, thought, and sensation. A side effect of his intense writing is that it can touch on melodrama and the sentimental, especially to contemporary ears. For me that's not a detriment. I'd rather have more emotion and feeling than less. And Zweig adds wry wisdom amidst it all: when the student confesses that he'd wasted his first term the professor comforts him saying, "Well, music has rests as well as notes." Published in 1927, the story has dated, but not the meaning and it must've been progressive for its time (at least from an American perspective). The reader sees and understands much more than our naive narrator Roland, a college student who's repeatedly told he's a mere child. I'm curious whether he seemed as innocent to readers of that time or if it's just today's worldly and cynical eyes that know too much. Confusion embodies the magic and lure of learning and literature and scorns the small minded prejudice of those who don't get it. Even as I see easy sentiment, obvious signaling, and simple psychology, I still enjoy the warm bath of Zweig's writing. As always, Anthea Bell does a flawless translation into English. Confusion isn't his best or my favorite of his work, but it's still Zweig, and that's a good thing. [3½★]
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