Even as the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapses and the rest of Vienna shows symptoms of rebellion, the Viennese nobility gathers to commemorate Emperor Franz Josef's 17th anniversary of accession in 1913. Ulrich, a warrior, a seducer, and a scientist, is at the centre of this social maze: a guy 'without traits, ' and thus a clever and dispassionate observer of his changing society.

The Man Without Qualities (Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften), a 20th-century classic, is endlessly thought-provoking, perceptive, and intriguing. It is a work of incalculable importance, as it is half satire, part visionary epic, and part intellectual tour de force.