Dreaming Vienna
Dreaming Vienna by Timothy K Conley, published by Golden Antelope Press in November 2023, is a work of fiction that explores the interplay between objective and subjective realities. The narrative begins with a quote from Mark Twain and a preface discussing 36 types of dreams as outlined by Sigmund Freud, setting the stage for a journey through the complexities of belief and interpretation. The story follows Felix Kulpa as he seeks meaning in his life, navigating through family, faith, and philosophical inquiries, ultimately leading him to Vienna.
Readers will encounter a rich tapestry of experiences as characters grapple with confusion, chaos, and acceptance. The novel presents a carnival-like atmosphere where characters intersect yet remain distant, leaving behind traces of their emotional journeys. Themes of trauma, memory, and the search for understanding are woven throughout, as seen in the struggles of Felix and his cousin Victor. Conley’s portrayal of Vienna challenges conventional interpretations, suggesting that the city symbolizes much more than cultural achievement. This edition spans 282 pages and is written in English, inviting readers to delve into a narrative that questions the very nature of dreams and reality.
Official synopsis Publisher
Dreaming Vienna begins with a quote from Missouri’s Mark Twain on how novels carry their authors away, and a preface from Conley listing 36 kinds of dreams discussed by Vienna’s Sigmund Freud. These openers foreground a tension between objective and subjective realities. How, exactly, does one believe a novel or interpret a dream? And what exactly does Vienna symbolize, especially for Americans? In Dreaming Vienna, subjective reactions generally prevail over conventional expectations. Conley is especially adept at painting the shadows and fogs which surround his characters, creating moments of confusion, chaos, despondency, acceptance, and wisdom.
Thus, Felix Kulpa (“Happy Fault” in Latin) struggles to find meaning in St. Louis, MO, first in his family’s Catholicism, then in philosophical systems, and finally in Vienna where, in a joyous explosion of passionate folly, he dies. Kulpa’s experiences resonate. His cousin Victor barely escapes sexual abuse by a priest, but carries scars from Missouri to Vienna, where he “researches the priesthood.” The very word, “research” changes meaning as Viennese students quarrel over versions of stories or mock pretentious mentors.
There’s a carnival feel to large sections of Dreaming Vienna as characters pass near one another without quite meeting–leaving traces, overlapping moods, fragrances, fragments, memories of bickering brothers, a guilt-ridden veteran, snow-covered children and orange-clad streetcleaners. To tour guides, Vienna may symbolize cultural depth, artistic aspiration, and human achievement, but for Conley those interpretations are radically incomplete. Only the gold-tipped cane of the mysterious Herr Winklemann can offer reliable direction; only rugs handmade by a one-armed feminist can keep readers fully warm.
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