Literature

• Franz Grillparzer
• Ferdinand Raimund
• Johann Nestroy
• Arthur Schnitzler
• Felix Salten
• Robert Musil
• Joseph Roth

• Ingeborg Bachmann
• Thomas Bernhard
• Peter Handke
• Elfriede Jelinek
• Wolf Haas
• Cabaret in Vienna

Wolf Haas (1960 – )

Right now, Wolf Haas is one of the most successful Austrian authors. His crime novels circle around grumpy ex-detective Brenner with a unique way of story telling and narrative style loosely based on the Austrian vernacular, the German you hear on the streets rather than expect to read in a book. But do not be fooled: his style of writing is highly artistic. It is also a compelling and, in some ways, easy read. Audience and critics both love him, his books sell and are occasionally turned into successful movies, too!

Wolf Haas actually started out writing copy for a renowned advertising agency. Slogans like "Lichtfahrer sind sichtbarer" (drivers with their lights on are more visible) or "Ö1 gehört gehört" (Austrian radio station Ö1 needs to be heard) show his fascination with wordplay which characterizes his prose. If you want to find out about Austria and its literature, Wolf Haas is an excellent starting point.

• Auferstehung der Toten (Resurrection of the dead, 1996)
• Der Knochenmann (Skeleton man, 1997)
• Komm, süßer Tod (Come, sweet death, 1998); turned into a movie in 2000 starring Austrian cabarett-star Josef Hader. Wolf Haas himself adapted the novel for the screenplay and had a cameo-appearance in the film.
• Ausgebremst (Thwarted, 1998) - a novel about formula 1 car races.
• Silentium! (1999); turned into a movie in 2004, Josef Hader once more impersonates the grumpy detective.
• Wie die Tiere (Like animals, 2001)
• Das ewige Leben (Eternal life, 2003)
• Das Wetter vor 15 Jahren (The weather, 15 years ago) 2006