120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

We're Moving! 🚚 Our Hobsonville bookstore is closed this weekend. Please visit us on Monday in our new home πŸŽ‰

The Post Office Girl

Stefan Zweig’s Grand Hotel Novel
4.16 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 11,746 ratings, 1,687 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A young Austrian woman, Christine, escapes her dull life at a provincial post office when invited to join an American aunt in a luxurious Swiss resort. Immersed in wealth and desire, she feels transformed, only to be cast back to her previous life. There, she meets Ferdinand, a war veteran and failed architect, and together they wrestle with despair, love, and the need to redefine their existence amidst post-war hardship.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of The Post Office Girl. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers who appreciate thought-provoking, character-driven literary fiction set in post-war Europe, and those interested in explorations of social upheaval, personal transformation, and psychological depth.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Stefan Zweig's Grand Hotel Novel: Cinderella meets Bonnie and Clyde in this 1930s tale of the boom and bust of capitalism.

The 'hidden treasure' of European literature that kick-started a Zweig renaissance when it was first published in the UK in 2009

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A young Austrian woman, Christine, toils away in a provincial post office when, out of the blue, a telegram arrives inviting her to join an American aunt she's never known in a fashionable Swiss resort. She accepts and is swept up into a world of almost inconceivable wealth and unleashed desire. She feels herself utterly transformed. Then, just as abruptly, her aunt cuts her loose and she has to return to the post office, whereβ€”yesβ€”nothing will ever be the same.

Christine meets Ferdinand, a bitter war veteran and disappointed architect, forced to work on construction sites. They are drawn to each other, just as they are crushed by a sense of deprivation, anger, and shame. Inevitably their attempts at love look set to flounder until, in one desperate and decisive act, they find a way to remake their world from within.

The Post Office Girl by Stefan Zweig captures this deeply transformative journey with elegance and a profound understanding of the human condition.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

"Just finished reading this beautiful, fast-moving, tragic novel... it will haunt me for a long while." – Neil Tennant. "Stefan Zweig's captivating tale showcases his place among literary greats." – The Wall Street Journal. "A brilliant writer with scenes of hope and despair that are powerful and alive." – The New York Times. "A wonderfully convincing, atmospheric novel shimmering with conviction." – The Irish Times. "A dreamy, ethereal symphony capturing post-WWI psyche." – RTE Guide.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780954221720

Publisher: Sort of Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 February 2009

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Sort of Books

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 208.0mm

Weight: 243g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Stefan Zweig (1881-1942) was the most widely translated writer of the 1920s and 30s. A Jewish pacifist, he was driven by the Nazis into exile, first in London, then in Brazil, where he committed suicide in a pact with his wife. The manuscript for The Post Office Girl was found among his papers. Zweig's other novels include Beware of Pity and Chess Story.

Also by Stefan Zweig

View all
  • The Royal Game: A Chess Story
    Set aboard an ocean liner bound for Buenos Aires, Stefan Zweig's The Royal Game: A Chess Story delves into the eerie interplay of intellect and obsession. The novel introduces us to Mirko Czentovic, the reigning chess world champion, who compensates for his peculiar dullness in all but chess by effortlessly defeating any passenger daring enough to challenge him. His victories,...
    Paperback
    $1499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Chess
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. A group of passengers on a cruise ship challenge the world chess champion to a match. At first, they crumble, until they are helped by whispered advice from a stranger in the crowd – a man...
    Hardback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Backorder
    Ships early October
  • Mary Queen of Scots
    From the moment of her birth to her death on the scaffold, Mary Stuart spent her life embroiled in power struggles that shook the foundations of Renaissance Europe. Revered by some as the rightful Queen of England, reviled by others as a murderous adulteress, her long and fascinating rivalry with her cousin Elizabeth I led ultimately to her downfall. Zweig,...
    Paperback
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Marie Antoinette
    Stefan Zweig based his biography of Marie Antoinette, who became the Queen of France at the age of fifteen, on the correspondence between her and her mother, and her great love, the Count Axel von Fersen. Zweig analyses the chemistry of a woman's soul from her intimate pleasures to her public suffering as a Queen under the weight of misfortune...
    Paperback
    $3699
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Six Stories
    Six newly translated stories from the bestselling Austrian author. 'One of the masters of the short story' Guardian These six stories of obsession, secrets, delusions and desires from one of the greatest European writers show individuals caught up in forces beyond their control β€” whether an art dealer agreeing to a heartbreaking deception, a soldier destroyed by war, a servant...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Chess
    90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books My delight in playing turned to a lust for playing, my lust for playing into a compulsion to play, a mania, a frenetic fury that filled not only my waking hours but also came to invade my sleep. I could think of nothing but chess, I thought only in chess moves...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $1799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Tales from the DUAL MONARCHY
    The night does not belong to us. She harbours her own mysteries. Nocturnos delves into the ethereal world of the night, when the mundane vibes of the day cede to a mysterious atmosphere in which anything seems possible. In the twilight hours, the darkness feels vast and untameable, the dead can intrude upon the land of the living, and the...
    Paperback
    $4700
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Montaigne
    Stefan Zweig's Montaigne delves into the influential life of Michel de Montaigne, a French Renaissance philosopher known for his profound works, particularly Essais. Zweig traces Montaigne's quest for self-knowledge and understanding of human nature, weaving his narrative through the backdrop of a turbulent Europe. The book not only explores Montaigne's philosophical musings but also reflects on his daily life, friendships,...
    Paperback
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Beware of Pity
    The only novel written by one of the most popular writers of the twentieth century. Zweig's fictional masterpiece - The Guardian 'An intoxicating, morally shaking read... A real reminder of what fiction can do best' - Ali Smith 'It's just a masterpiece. When I read it I thought, how is it that I don't already know about this?' - Wes...
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Collected Stories of Stefan Zweig
    'One hardly knows where to begin in praising Zweig's work' - Ali Smith 'The Updike of his day... Zweig is a lucid writer, and Bell renders his prose flawlessly' - New York Observer Perfectly paced and brimming with passion - twenty-two tales from a master storyteller of the twentieth century In this indispensable collection of short stories, Stefan Zweig captures...
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Invisible Collection
    "I found it terrible, yet at the same time touching, for in all the years of the war I had not seen so perfect and pure an expression of bliss on any German face." An ostensibly whimsical story about the adventures of a Berlin art dealer, Stefan Zweig's The Invisible Collection is a powerful evocation of the condition of Germany...
    Book
    $1499
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Letter from an Unknown Woman and Other Stories
    Pre-order
    Letter from an Unknown Woman and Other Stories
    These four Stefan Zweig stories, translated by the award-winning Anthea Bell, are among his most celebrated and compelling work. The titular tale is a devastating depiction of unrequited love, which inspired a classic Hollywood film, directed by Max OphΓΌls and starring Joane Fontaine. Elsewhere in the collection, a young man mistakes the girl he loves for her sister, two erstwhile...
    Paperback
    $2799
    Pre-order
    Out 6 Oct 2026

More from General Fiction

View all
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people β€” but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Yesteryear
    A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE β€” Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE β€” Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE β€” Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS β€” Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale β€” Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Dungeon Crawler Carl
    The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman-now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition! You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Theo of Golden
    THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Fourth Wing
    THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NUMBER ONE GLOBAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON! DON'T MISS OUT ON THE SERIES THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT: 'This book contains an addictive, drug-like essence that will make you relinquish all responsibility until the very last word. Do not say I didn't warn you' Glamour 'I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, and when I finished, I...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Taipei Story
    TAIPEI STORY is the electrifying new novel by bestselling literary phenomenon Rebecca F. Kuang, a profoundly moving coming-of-age story that explores first love, second language and final goodbyes – all set against the backdrop of one unforgettable summer in Taipei. Yale student Lily Chen arrives in Taipei hungry: for family, for culture, for connection. But her summer of discovery quickly...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Iron Flame
    The instant number one Sunday Times bestseller and thrilling sequel to the global phenomenon, Fourth Wing! DON'T BE THE LAST TO DISCOVER THE SERIES THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT: 'Yarros is the true inheritor of Harry Potter and inspires Hunger Games levels of devotion' Guardian 'Fear not, levels of fighting, rebelliousness and all-round sexiness are still sky-high' Daily Mail...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl series -now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever...
    Hardback
    $4699
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses
    The first instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON and TikTok sensation, from multi-million selling and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan – Time Harry Potter magic, Taylor Swift sass, Fifty Shades-level athleticism – The Sunday Times With bits of Buffy, Game of Thrones and Outlander, this is a glorious series...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Pre-order
    Hollywood, Ending
    #1 bestselling author John Green makes his much-anticipated return to fiction with a behind-the-scenes Hollywood love story that brilliantly confronts the private cost of a public life. For rising young actors Kai Laramie and Juniper Castillo, being cast in the buzzy biopicΒ Andy Warhol Never Gets OldΒ is the opportunity they’ve both been waiting for. They’re on the verge of breaking out,...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    Pre-order
    Out 22 Sep 2026
  • Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    New Release
    Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl seriesβ€”now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition. Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever feline...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • A Court of Silver Flames
    The latest instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From multi-million and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan - Time Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James – Telegraph Spiced with slick plotting and atmospheric world-building...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!