LA MARCIA DI RADETZKY | JOSEPH ROTH | V EDIZIONE 1978

The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth, in its 1978 Italian 5th edition, is a poignant historical novel that chronicles the decline of the Austro-Hungarian Empire through three generations of the Trotta family. Richly imbued with melancholic nostalgia, the narrative intertwines personal destinies with the sweeping tides of empire and war, anchored around the symbolic patriotic anthem—the Radetzky March. Roth masterfully employs a blend of lyrical prose and social critique, exploring themes of loyalty, decadence, and the fragile bond between individual identity and the crumbling imperial order. The novel is celebrated as a seminal work in 20th-century Austrian literature, offering profound insights into the crisis of modernity, authority, and collective memory.