In late nineteenth century Vienna, Moritz, a young man from a well-to-do Jewish family, lives in the shadow of his older brother. Afflicted by a birthmark which in ancient times would have seen him left out for the wolves, he tries to retreat into a world of reading and writing. But unable to escape the target on his face , as his father calls it, Moritz is forced by his impatient nation into war. A story that takes the reader deep into the heady world of war, Zionism, salons, writers, artists, sexual awakening and the randomness of tragedy and redemption that follow.About the author:Joe Reich is a practising ophthalmologist in Melbourne whose writing was encouraged by being a finalist in the Women s Weekly Short Story competition. He has been involved in writing university and hospital revues and comedy debates, and has published five previous books. He lives in Melbourne.