"Illuminating. . . . Birnbaum skillfully delineates the social and political tensions shaping a culture caught between the national interests of Germany and Russia, and he poignantly conveys the plight of individuals for whom each day is a potential tragedy waiting to happen. This auspicious debut makes for an appealing drama." - Publishers Weekly
"The author is a descendant of the historical Dr. B., and the novel follows the facts of his life and incorporates historical characters into a very accomplished and appealing portrait of Stockholm. . . . A moving evocation of a life beset by conflicts in a troubled time." - Kirkus Reviews
"This complexly plotted, fact-based tale filled with shadowy characters and unlikely coincidences is an altogether engaging piece of literary historical fiction." - Library Journal
"[Birnbaum's] atmospheric novel mixes fact and fiction to tell a tense tale of spies and refugees. . . . This vivid portrait of wartime in neutral Stockholm, known as the Nordic Casablanca, depicts a lively city filled with spies, intellectuals and refugees. Its glamour is tarnished, however, by the growing anti-Semitism that thrived in what was called a 'neutral' country." - Washington Post
Philosopher and art critic Daniel Birnbaum is one of the world's most prominent art curators. He is the former director of the Moderna Museet (Museum of Modern Art) in Stockholm and has managed museums and art schools in Germany and Italy, and curated the Venice Biennale. He is currently the artistic director of Acute Art, an avant-garde studio based in London, and a contributing editor at Artforum. Dr. B. is his first novel. He lives in London.
