When Humans Shine in the Stars _ Decisive Moments in Time

Author: (Austrian) Stefan Zweig
Translator: Zhang Wei
Austria/Austria
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: This renowned work by Zweig has been introduced to China for decades. For this retranslation, we have invited historians to write background materials and republished it. The greater significance lies in allowing readers to realize through the text:
1. How different Zweig's vision of heroes and pivotal moments in human history is from what we imagine. This difference is also a result of the contrasting worldviews, life philosophies, and values between Eastern and Western cultures.
2. Even for the same historical event, our version differs from Zweig's. This truly proves that history does not have a single version—different people see history differently.
"History seems to be an annalist, indifferent yet persistent in connecting piece after piece of historical fact, like stringing together countless rings into an enduring long chain spanning thousands of years. For everything that excites the heart requires preparation, and every significant event must unfold over time. The emergence of a genius demands the collective strength of millions in a nation: after countless years of trivial passage, the true turning points in history will finally appear. Such dramatically concentrated moments that shape destinies often occur on a single day, a single hour, or even just a minute. Though rare in both an individual's life and the progression of history, their decisiveness transcends time. For this reason, I will revisit those brilliant moments from different eras and locations.