Writing Process
Since his early forties Broch had devoted himself to writing, and The Sleepwalkers, composed between 1928 and 1932, was his literary début. Before that he had published only essays.
In creating the plot of the book, Broch was inspired by his associates and friends for several characters and events, e.g. his mistress and confidante, the Viennese journalist Ea von Allesch gave him the idea of the vaudeville artist Ilona.
In the variety of styles and stories Broch tried to represent the complexity of the world, much as, for example, James Joyce did in Ulysses.
Read more about this topic: The Sleepwalkers (Broch)
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