Favorite Book from the Hotel Library

As we gear up for the start of the summer season, here’s another great reason to visit the Engadin once again:

“The Sky Already Southern, Yet the Air Is Fresh: Writers, Painters, Musicians, and Their Time in Graubünden, 1800–1950” (original title: „Der Himmel schon südlich, die Luft aber frisch: Schriftsteller, Maler, Musiker und ihre Zeit in Graubünden 1800-1950“) by author Kurt Wanner

For us, this is a wonderful literary start to the new season: Kurt Wanner powerfully demonstrates that what makes Graubünden so special for locals and visitors alike today became part of its history long before our time and continues to have an impact to this day. With a keen sensibility, he imbues the region with a cultural depth that reveals itself as you read and continues to unfold step by step as you explore the outdoors.

The focus of Kurt Wanner’s extraordinary publication is on the cultural figures—painters, writers, musicians, and philosophers—who, in the 19th century and especially at the beginning of the 20th century, constituted a significant, and at times even defining, segment of the travelers and vacationers in Graubünden. An unexpected wealth of previously unknown facts, stories, and anecdotes come together to form a richly illustrated chapter of European cultural history that not only provides comprehensive insight into this era but also offers a highly enjoyable reading experience.

In short: a book that brings the cultural landscape of Graubünden to life through its defining figures and reaffirms that we are exactly where we should be.

Published by Bündner Monatsblatt Verlag Desertina in 2006.

The Maistra Bookshelf features around 1,000 hand-selected titles. Take your time!