From the Life of a Good-for-Nothing is like stepping into a delightful 18th-century painting accompanied by the music of Mozart. Every day is warm and sunny, with puffy white clouds, twittering birds, gorgeous flowers, and charming gardens. Sorrow and despair are never to be seen, while amusing characters pass in and out of the chapters. It is a charming world of beauty and adventure, which Eichendorff has created for us.

First published in 1826, this is one of the most famous and perennially popular novels to come out of Germany. It is a romantic novella whose main themes are love and voyage. Our hero leaves his father's mill and becomes a gardener at a Viennese castle, where he falls in love with the duke's daughter. The complications and Italian trip which ensue are a wonder of the romantic movement. It becomes a dream world of amazing power. You will want to listen to this story many times.