1913: The Year Before the Storm

The book captures a fleeting moment before the chaos of WWI, but I'm curious what drew the author to that particular season and year. Was it the cultural vibrancy or something else?

The way the book portrays the art, politics, and society makes it feel both lively and tense. I wonder if others felt the same juxtaposition of beauty and uncertainty.

The book mentions so many influential people and moments—what was the process behind selecting these specific stories and characters to represent the year?