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Tales of Hoffmann (Classics)
 
 

Tales of Hoffmann (Classics) (Paperback)

by E.T.A. Hoffmann (Author), R. J. Hollingdale (Translator) "It was in the Rue St Honore that the little house was situated which Madeleine de Scudery, famous for her charming poems, occupied by the..." (more)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Tales of Hoffmann (Classics) + The Uncanny (Penguin Classics) + The Uncanny: An Introduction
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Product details

  • Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Classics; New Ed edition (27 May 2004)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0140443924
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140443929
  • Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.8 x 2.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 46,108 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Product Description

Product Description

This selection of Hoffmann’s finest short stories vividly demonstrates his intense imagination and preoccupation with the supernatural, placing him at the forefront of both surrealism and the modern horror genre. Suspense dominates tales such as Mademoiselle de Scudery, in which an apprentice goldsmith and a female novelist find themselves caught up in a series of jewel thefts and murders. In the sinister Sandman, a young man’s sanity is tormented by fears about a mysterious chemist, while in The Choosing of a Bride a greedy father preys on the weaknesses of his daughter’s suitors. Master of the bizarre, Hoffman creates a sinister and unsettling world combining love and madness, black humour and bewildering illusion.

About the Author

Hoffmann (1776 - 1822) studied law and entered the Prussian civil service, but his over-riding ambition was to beomce a graphic artist and painter. He turned to fiction only in his thirties and became one of the most influential authors of his time. R.J. Hollingdale has translated eleven of Nietschze'sbooks and published two books about him. He has also translated works by Schopenhauer, Goethe and Fontane.

Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
It was in the Rue St Honore that the little house was situated which Madeleine de Scudery, famous for her charming poems, occupied by the grace and favour of Louis XIV and Madame de Maintenon. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Tales of Hoffmann (Classics)
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Tales of Hoffmann (Classics) 4.0 out of 5 stars (2)
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Customer Reviews

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Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Closer than most..., 29 Jan 2008
I came to Hoffman, having seen him referenced so many times in other classics. Much like the Velvet Underground in the world of music, he's a writer's writer, but I'm sure the rest of us can enjoy this work too. I was lured in by the mythology of the author, and sought him out like a rare treasure.

All these stories are superb - Mademoiselle de Scudery nudging shoulders with the great Gothic murder mysteries; The Entail disturbingly creepy and claustrophobic; Doge and Dogaressa a miniature Venetian epic - but for me, The Sandman stands out as one of my favourite ever tales - a dark black, dynamically-told nightmare about a hideous bogeyman that often verges on the comic and surreal. Unique.

Keep E.T.A. alive!
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3 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant but highly flawed., 1 May 2001
By A Customer
Hoffmann is a superb storyteller and all of these stories have there atractions, in particular the tale involving the haunted castle stands out from the rest. However Hoffmann is guilty of trivialising his own concerns. For example the theme of duality which crops up many times here is never treated as anything more than a plot device when really it calls for more respect. Romanticism is the enemy of these tales in almost every way. The lightness, the optimism and above all the characterization which define Romanticism work horribly against the themes which Hoffmann brings to his work. These are entertaining stories but it is immensely frustrating to see almost all of them spoilt by such misjudgements.
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