Robert Musil (1880–1942) was an Austrian novelist.
Born in Klagenfurt, Musil trained as an engineer and later studied philosophy, psychology, and mathematics at Berlin University. While still a PhD student, he published his first novel, Young Törless (1906,) a few works of fiction, and two plays. During World War I, he served in the Austrian army.
He is best known for his unfinished epic novel of almost 1,600 pages, The Man Without Qualities (1930–43; Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften,) about the disintegration of traditional Austrian society during the final years of the Habsburg Empire, just before the outbreak of World War I.
Musil died in obscurity amid World War II. Only a handful of mourners attended his funeral.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Robert Musil
Truth is not a crystal one can put in one’s pocket, but an infinite fluid into which one falls headlong.
—Robert Musil
Topics: Truth
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