The Foreign Correspondent by Alan Furst

French Postcard Dewoitine D.338 Airliner

On page 175, our correspondent Carlo Weisz flies from Paris to Berlin on a Dewoitine D.338 airliner:

"On his lap, an open copy of Dekobra's La Madone des Sleepings - the Madonna of the Sleeping Cars - a 1920s French spy thriller, wildly popular in its day, which Weisz had brought along for the trip."

Goodreads has heard of the book:

One of the biggest bestsellers of all time, and one of the first and most influential spy novels of the twentieth century, is back in print for the first time since 1948

Alan Furst fans will note that train passengers in his bestselling thrillers are often observed reading The Madonna of the Sleeping Cars. It’s a smart detail: First published in 1927, the book was one of the twentieth century’s first massive bestsellers, selling over 15 million copies worldwide. 

It was made into a movie twice, a silent version in 1928 and a talkie in 1955.

On the return flight (on page 187), Alfred Millman, The New York Times correspondent, quotes Karl Kraus:

"How is the world ruled and how do wars start? Diplomats tell lies to journalists and then believe what they read."

Alfred and Carlo were in Berlin to report on Germany and Italy signing The Pact of Steel. Did you know that Benito Mussolini wrote a novel? I didn't. It's The Cardinal's Mistress.