Peter Altenberg (1859-1919), who came from a Jewish merchant family, spent almost his entire life in his birthplace of Vienna. As a prototypical coffeehouse writer, he exclusively wrote short prose sketches in a calm, impressionistic style, which collectively create a comprehensive social portrait of Viennese modernity before World War I. Among his admirers were Adolf Loos and Karl Kraus, who played a significant role in the publication of Altenberg's first book "How I See It" in 1896.