Author
B. Traven
1882-1969
B. Traven (1882-1969) is a public-domain author available on Rivro. Read free books, explore subjects, and discover related classics.
Subjects
Books by B. Traven
Die Brücke im Dschungel
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Nachttänze der Indianer
"Nachttänze der Indianer" by B. Traven is a short story written in the early 20th century. The narrative takes place in the Mexican jungle and revolves around a cultural event, depicting a night of traditional Indian dances and festivities. The story explores themes of community, cultural expression, and the contrast between indigenous and Western lifestyles. The plot follows the experience of a white man who is invited by his Indian neighbor to a dance celebration among the local community. As he arrives at the festivities, he observes the vibrant atmosphere filled with music, laughter, and traditional dances. The guests are mostly Indian families who engage in joyous dancing, showcasing a rich cultural heritage that transcends age and societal norms. Through the protagonist's eyes, readers witness the beauty and simplicity of the evening, as well as the deep connections among the attendees, who embrace familial bonds and shared traditions. The story concludes with the night's end, where guests quietly depart, leaving behind the remnants of a magical cultural gathering.
Die Geschichte einer Bombe
"Die Geschichte einer Bombe" by B. Traven is a short story written during the early 20th century. The narrative portrays the life of an Indian man named Guido Salvatore, whose romantic pursuits lead him to undertake drastic actions when faced with betrayal. The story explores themes of love, jealousy, and the extremes one may resort to when pride is compromised. The plot centers around Salvatore, who, after marrying Elvira, discovers her infidelity with another man shortly after their wedding. In a fit of despair, he constructs a bomb and uses it in a moment of cold detachment, aiming for his wife's new lover but resulting in unintended consequences. The chaos that ensues from his actions leads to a courtroom trial, where the social dynamics of the community and perceptions of justice come into play. Ultimately, Salvatore’s fate seems to underline a commentary on personal agency and the complexities of human relationships, as he nonchalantly returns to work and begins a new life shortly after the tragic events.
Der Schatz der Sierra Madre
"Der Schatz der Sierra Madre" by B. Traven is an adventure novel published in 1927. In 1920s Mexico, two destitute American drifters team up with an experienced prospector named Howard to search for gold in the remote mountains. As they pursue their fortune, Howard warns them that discovering gold in quantity corrupts men's souls and awakens insatiable greed. Dobbs insists he would be content with modest wealth, but the old prospector quietly doubts him. Their expedition unfolds against a backdrop of exploitation, revolution, and legendary mines cursed by bloody histories.
Die Medizin
"Die Medizin" by B. Traven is a short story written in the early 20th century. This narrative unfolds in a small Indian village and delves into themes of cultural misunderstanding and the perception of knowledge and authority. It offers a glimpse into the lives of indigenous people and their interactions with a white man who is seen as knowledgeable and wise, despite his own limitations. In the story, the protagonist, a white man living in the village, encounters a distraught Indian who believes his wife has run away. The Indian pleads for assistance, assuming that the white man possesses extraordinary powers of perception. Despite the man's inquiries about his wife, the protagonist claims ignorance. Faced with a violent threat from the desperate Indian, he concocts a story using a pair of binoculars to trick the man into believing he has seen his wife with another man. The Indian, encouraged by the fabricated vision, sets off on a long journey to find her. Traven’s tale explores themes of false authority, cultural misconceptions, and the desperate lengths to which individuals will go to reclaim their lost loved ones.
Mein Roman »Das Totenschiff«
"Mein Roman »Das Totenschiff«" by B. Traven is a novel published in 1926. When American seaman Gales misses his ship in Antwerp and loses his identity papers, he discovers the terrifying reality of existing without documentation. Rejected by consulates and shuttled across borders, he becomes stateless—a living ghost. His desperate circumstances force him aboard the Yorikke, a decrepit vessel crewed entirely by paperless men. These forgotten souls, trapped in an endless voyage, face exploitation and danger on what sailors call a "death ship."
Die Weiße Rose
"Die Weiße Rose" by B. Traven is a novel published in 1929 about an idyllic hacienda called "The White Rose" inhabited by Indians in 1920s Mexico. The story contrasts the harmonious, nature-connected life of the indigenous community with the ruthless ambitions of Mr. Collins, an oil company president who covets their land. When the hacienda's owner is murdered, Collins illegally seizes the property, revealing the brutal reality of capitalism's disregard for human life in pursuit of profit.
Das Totenschiff : $b Die Geschichte eine amerikanischen Seemanns
"Das Totenschiff: Die Geschichte eines amerikanischen Seemanns" by B. Traven is a novel written in the early 20th century. The book centers on the experiences of an American sailor who, after being left behind by his ship in Europe, struggles with statelessness and the bureaucratic nightmares faced by those without official papers. Through the eyes of its protagonist, the novel explores themes of alienation, identity, and the impersonal cruelty of modern institutions. The opening of the novel introduces the unnamed American sailor, recounting his recent voyage from New Orleans to Antwerp aboard the S.S. Tuscaloosa. After missing his ship's departure, he becomes trapped in a Kafkaesque maze of police interrogations, detention, and forced border crossings, all made worse by his lack of proper identification or seaman’s papers. The narrative, laced with dry humor and irony, follows his attempts to find work or assistance, the indifference and coldness of officials, and the camaraderie (and occasional generosity) of ordinary people. From Antwerp to Rotterdam and across borders, the protagonist’s predicament illustrates the vulnerability and invisibility of the working man in a world governed by paperwork and rigid national boundaries.
Der Wobbly
"Der Wobbly" by B. Traven is a novel written in the early 20th century. It follows the itinerant worker Gerard Gale as he drifts into a multinational crew of down-and-out laborers picking cotton on a remote Mexican farm. Through heat, hunger, and exploitation, the story zeroes in on the economics of low-wage labor and the first sparks of worker solidarity that push the crew toward collective action. The opening of the novel begins with a cotton-pickers’ song and a chance gathering at a desolate station, where Gale falls in with Antonio, Gonzalo, Sam Woe, and two Black Americans, Charley and Abraham, all bound for Mr. Shine’s plantation. After a grueling trek through bush and thirst, they reach the farm, sleep in a bare shack, and toil for meager piece-rates under swarms of insects and a chronic water shortage. Daily life is sketched in vivid detail—from cooking over campfires to Abraham’s small-time egg enterprise that both sustains and indebts the group—until the men calculate they cannot survive on the pay. They stage a brief, disciplined work stoppage; the boss relents, raises the rate (with back pay), and Gale, singled out as the lone white worker, receives a bit more. Soon after, an oil-camp manager needs a temporary driller, and Gale seizes the chance to leave the fields for steadier food, shelter, and work, closing the opening on a pivot from plantation labor to the oil frontier.
Im tropischen Busch
"Im tropischen Busch" by B. Traven is a fictional narrative written in the early 20th century. The book explores themes of isolation and cultural reflection through the eyes of a protagonist living in the dense jungles of Mexico. Set in a remote area characterized by lush landscapes and sparse human habitation, it delves into the interaction between the solitary life of a man and the indigenous cultures surrounding him. The story follows the narrator, who lives alone in a primitive hut deep within the tropical jungle, feeling the weight of profound solitude. His closest neighbor is an American doctor, Wilshed, who also leads a life marked by isolation. The narrators’ experiences are further complicated by encounters with an enigmatic Indian who visits him at night, revealing insights into ancestral pride and the historical weight of colonialism. As the narrative progresses, elements of supernatural mystery emerge, culminating in the discovery of the deceased Indian's mummified body, leading to a profound meditation on the themes of loss, identity, and the intersection of past and present in the lives of indigenous people. The blend of personal introspection and cultural history creates a rich tapestry of human experience within the context of the untamed jungle.
Die Dynamitpatrone
"Die Dynamitpatrone" by B. Traven is a short story written in the early 20th century. It explores the themes of belief and human folly through a provocative narrative centered around the effects of dynamite cartridges. The story captures a moment of intense discussion among Indian workers regarding the dangers of dynamite, ultimately highlighting the extreme lengths to which one's convictions can lead. In the tale, a group of workers debates the lethal impact of dynamite on the human body. One individual, eager to prove his stance that the effects are harmless, volunteers to demonstrate using a dynamite cartridge. However, as a result of the explosion, he loses his hand yet remains steadfast in his belief that it was not the cartridge but rather a faulty component that caused the injury. Following this harrowing event, he embraces his new life with an iron hook for a hand, becoming a feared figure among his peers. The story serves as a commentary on the absurdities of human belief systems and the lengths to which people will go to validate their opinions, no matter the consequences.
Die Baumwollpflücker : $b Als Fortsetzungsroman im »Vorwärts« (1925)
"Die Baumwollpflücker: Als Fortsetzungsroman im »Vorwärts«" by B. Traven is a novel written in the early 20th century. The book offers an unvarnished look into the lives of the Mexican farm laborers—mostly Indigenous and working-class people—who toil to provide raw cotton to the global textile industry. Eschewing sentimentality and romance, it centers instead on the daily challenges, camaraderie, and economic struggles of these workers, presenting the collective as the true protagonist. The story is rooted in the author’s lived experiences and informed by a deep familiarity with poverty and exploitation. The opening of the novel frames the harsh realities endured by cotton pickers in Mexico, contrasting their plight with that of both European and modern textile workers. The narrator, Gerard Gale, joins a diverse group of impoverished men—Mexicans, an American, two Black men, and a Chinese laborer—each traveling to a cotton farm to find work under the gringo Mr. Shine. Their journey, described with dry humor and vivid detail, is grueling, marked by exhaustion, lack of water, and improvised solidarity. Once at the farm, the group contends with meager wages, long hours, and minimal nourishment, while small entrepreneurial acts (such as selling eggs) become significant in their micro-economy. The narrative provides both an immersive slice-of-life account and sharp social commentary, quickly immersing the reader into the world of the dispossessed—where survival is a daily struggle, hierarchy is omnipresent, and solidarity is sometimes all that remains.