Promotions - Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles 2018 -

Safranski, a writer and philosopher who lives in Berlin, provides a fascinating biography that analyzes Goethe's long and fruitful life (1749-1832): his friends, loves, rivals, early hangers-on (notably the writer Jakob Michael Lenz), scientific studies, literary works, travels (especially his two influential stays in Italy), and his long career at the court in Weimar. Much of the information comes from Goethe's two "autobiographies" and Conversations with Eckermann (v. 1-2, 1836; v. 3, 1848). Safranski follows Goethe's life in roughly chronological order, recording his early family life, the death of his beloved sister, his sudden and increasing fame, growth as a writer and thinker, late marriage, the birth and death (in Rome) of his son (August), and works of his old age. Analysis of his literary work occupies much of the book, but biographical details predominate. In this, the book differs from most recent works on Goethe. The English translation and accompanying notes represent a substantial achievement, since Dollenmayer translates everything, including the poetry and prose quotations. There is scarcely a word of German in the book, which makes it especially well suited to anglophone readers. Germanists, though, will dearly miss the presence of original text of the poems and original titles. There is an excellent index and a useful chronology.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.

This is a well-considered study of Austrian Holocaust denial and the ways in which film, literature, and memorial images have led the nation toward a complete understanding of its share of guilt in the events of WW II. The introduction sets forth the facts of recent history. The book's five chapters discuss, first, the vivid and evocative films of Ruth Beckermann, which may not be familiar to all, then Anna Mitgutsch's book Haus der Kindheit (2000). In the third chapter, "Silencing the Past," the author considers Margarete Heinrich and Eduard Erne's film Totschweigen (1994), along with Elfriede Jelinek's play Rechnitz (2008). Especially interesting is chapter 4, which is about the Waldheim affair as treated in Robert Schindel's Der Kalte (2013). Here the facts Krylova provides in the introduction may prove invaluable. The last and most original chapter, "Missing Images," looks at memorial projects in contemporary Vienna. It shows that up to the present moment Austrians are afforded opportunities to engage in war commemorations that take dynamic and evolving forms. With the help of a summarizing chapter, notes, a bibliography, and 15 striking illustrations, the author demonstrates that Austrians are accepting the continuing task of learning from an unfortunate and tragic Nazi past.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.