Nina Balatka

Published in 1867, this short novel is set in Prague and concerns Nina Balatka, daughter of a ruined Christian merchant, who loves Anton Trendellsohn, a young Jewish businessman whose family holds her father's debts. Both households oppose the match: Nina's relatives fear conversion and scandal, while Anton's people fear a Christian wife. The Karlsbrucke, the Kleinseite, and the Jewish quarter are the daily ground of rumour, money, and watchfulness. A rival and a stolen deed tighten the pressure. The book is a study of faith and commerce in one city, not a travelogue.

Quarter bound in red series binding, pale grey paper boards with the border in red. Pale grey endleaves. Red slipcase.