With no illusions but plenty of empathy, Peter Rosei explores the hardships of searching for happiness in the current times.

Lena from the Styrian village, Andràs from the Hungarian tower block and Eva Bartuska from the Czech town of Brno have all come to Vienna seeking happiness and fulfilment. They drift through the city propelled by the promise of social and economic betterment and the dream of true love. But what is this prized happiness? Sometimes it's a branch manager position, sometimes a wild night out, and often a flimsy illusion that shatters on the rocks of everyday hostility. Yet in this novel on the myth of happiness, Rosei strikes an uncharacteristically conciliatory tone. “And so, those who come eye to eye with the degradations of life and abandon all hope, ultimately still have a right to the happiness they long for.”

Arzt’s narrative instantly sucks the reader into the turbulence of the day on which the “annexation” of Austria was decided on.

It’s April 1938 and student Karl Bleimfeldner returns home to vote against the “annexation” to Nazi Germany – the only dissenting voice in the village. The area is in a state of political frenzy and Karl’s daring action leads to repercussions. Rumours spread. The family falls silent. An overexcited mob sets out to confront the traitor in the woods. In “Voice of Dissent” Thomas Arzt acutely hones in on the 24 hours of April 10, 1938, during which the National Socialists succeeded in seizing power over Austria. Arzt tells the story of his great-uncle – in a feverishly restless tale about conformism, cowardice, hopelessness, fanaticism and resistance.

There is a need for public discourse on suicide.

The doorbell rings at the 4th floor apartment of the Marboe family. “Something’s up with Tobias!” “Yes, he’s in the next room. We’re just getting the guest room ready for him.” “No, something’s up with him down on the street!” Since that afternoon of 26 December 2018, life for the Marboe family has never been the same. What happened to Golli Marboe is the worst that can happen to a father. Your own son or daughter committing suicide is a taboo subject even today. Marboe has written this book to his son Tobias. In it, he looks back on the first year following the tragedy. Were there signs he should have recognised? Was there anything that could have been done to prevent it? “Notes to Tobias” illustrates a father’s struggle to come to terms with what has happened, but it is also full of love and strength and the courage to carry on.

From political struggle to lucrative catchword – a compelling analysis.

Feminism has undergone an astonishing change of image over the past few years. Superstars bandy about combative statements against sexism to appear politically engaged, advertising campaigns have adopted narratives on female self-determination as a standard tool, and career literature is spiked with calls for empowerment to gain a feminist hue. What is all the hype really about? And what threat does social media pose to the dialogue on equal rights? Beate Hausbichler takes a closer look at the bold claims of feminism which in truth harbour nothing more than self-glorification, image cultivation and marketing – and highlights the considerable threat this poses to a political movement.

How will we feed a future population of 10 billion people?

Time for change: Agriculture and sustainable nutrition have become hotly debated subjects across society, as we look to a near future in which our planet is home to ten billion people. But can we feed the human population through organic farming? Is eating animals a sin? Does industrial agriculture based on high tech farming practices destroy rural areas, deplete natural resources and drive people into the cities? In 'Everyone Full?' Urs Niggli outlines a visionary plan for feeding the world – a fascinating read for foodies and everyone who appreciates good food.

Imagine you’re a doctor. There are two 30-year-old women in your intensive care unit – one with severe head injuries and no chance of survival, the other with a fatal heart defect whose only chance for life is to have a donor heart implanted. What would you do? This is just one of many questions that exceed our emotional and ethical competencies. Doctors, ethicists and lawyers have to find the answers to them, always in the interest of life. But are we allowed to do everything that we can do? Zoran Dobrić has talked to patients, doctors, living donors, relatives of the deceased, scientists and theologists. He has observed all the key processes of organ transplantation, including brain death diagnosis and organ removal.

“Your Turn” will make you laugh and cry – just like real life.

Three lovable outsiders search for their place in the world. Agnesa, an 18-year-old Vienna city girl with migrant background who left school without qualifications, computer nerd Eduard, whose midlife crisis has turned him into a stalker in the wilds of the world wide web, and Felicitas, a feminist who’s still fighting the good fight at 69, even though she has followed her true love into the province. Their paths cross and they soon realise that life is better when shared, even if it means that some dearly held falsities have to fall by the wayside. Writer and performer Mieze Medusa has enjoyed years of success on the poetry slam circuit. Now she’s delivered a novel that combines humour and warmth with its very own language to capture the voices of today.

Pilgrimage, retrospective and clever resume – a must-have book for all Brandstetter fans.

In his “Life Journey”, Alois Brandstetter recounts the remarkable story of how he made his way from 7th child of a miller and farmer to academic and author. Yet this pilgrimage into the past is delightfully tongue-in-cheek. Scenes and images from Brandstetter’s childhood and youth in rural Upper Austria alternate with humorous observations on modern life, as well as notes on impressions gained and encounters made as an avid reader. His travels on the trail of his namesake Saint Aloysius provide a fitting framework for the intimately and vividly narrated reminiscences.

The musical journey of famous conductor Philippe Jordan. An engaging and compelling insight into his life and work.

The new musical director of Vienna State Opera is one of the most sought-after conductors of his generation. He is engaged at the best opera houses, the most important festivals and at famous concert halls all over the world – his career progression reads like one long success story. But the Swiss conductor also speaks of the difficulties of starting out, the obstacles that had to be overcome and the important encounters, disappointments and moments of joy along the way. Based on her numerous conversations with Philippe Jordan, journalist Haide Tenner documents the conductor’s personal relationship to music and his work, and his gripping life story to date.

In her intensive and fast-paced debut novel, Kaśka Bryla tells of a shared history, of betrayal and of the power of friendship.

Roland K., multiple murderer and rapist, is serving his sentence in Berlin’s Moabit prison. His connection to Mania, the prison psychologist, seems deeper than a few therapy sessions might suggest. When Mania’s childhood friend Tomek disappears in Vienna, she embarks on a desperate search for him with the help of Ruth, a hacker. Thus begins a dynamically narrated race against time. Will they find Tomek? Does Tomek even want to be found? And what does any of this have to do with Roland K.? With courage and verve, Kaśka Bryla intertwines the enduring questions of guilt and forgiveness, good and evil, with an unexpected love story to deliver a gripping road novel.