This collection of novellas, written in the late 1800s, is exactly what the title promises: stories of catastrophe. But don't expect earthquakes or shipwrecks. Juliane Déry focuses on the domestic and social disasters that reshape a person's world. We follow middle-class characters—shopkeepers, civil servants, young women—in the fading days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In one story, a long-held family secret comes to light over a seemingly innocent dinner, destroying relationships. In another, a man's entire sense of self and security is undone by a single piece of bad news delivered on an ordinary afternoon.

The Story

There isn't one plot, but several short, powerful portraits. Each novella is a self-contained universe where a character's life is fractured. The 'disaster' might be financial ruin, social disgrace, the shattering of an illusion, or the cruel twist of fate. The tension doesn't come from action, but from the slow, dreadful realization dawning on the characters that their old life is gone. Déry builds her scenes with precise, almost painful detail, making the moment of collapse feel both shocking and inevitable.

Why You Should Read It

Déry's genius is in her restraint and her deep understanding of human psychology. She doesn't judge her characters; she just watches them unravel with a clear, compassionate eye. Reading these stories, you're struck by how little the core of human anxiety has changed. The fear of losing status, love, or security is timeless. Her writing is crisp and direct, pulling you into the emotional reality of her characters without any old-fashioned flourishes that can sometimes make classics hard to read.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers who love character-driven literary fiction and have an interest in historical settings that feel eerily modern. If you enjoy authors like Alice Munro or Anthony Doerr for their focus on pivotal life moments, you'll find a kindred spirit in Juliane Déry. This is a book for a quiet evening, when you're ready to be fully immersed in someone else's crisis and come out the other side thinking a little differently about your own quiet moments.