Historical Dictionary of German Literature to 1945

As the title of the present work suggests, the scope here is quite vast, with coverage ranging in date from the eighth century through the end of the Second World War. A chronology of important dates in and a lengthy introductory essay on the history of German literature precede the alphabetically arranged entries. The dictionary concludes with a substantial bibliography arranged by historical period and individual author. The entries themselves introduce authors; individual literary works; literary genres (e.g., Bildungsroman, Shrovetide plays); and literary movements (e.g., Expressionism, Storm and stress)....Appropriate for academic and large public libraries. * Booklist *
Although at first glance a single volume of 351 pages seems an unlikely candidate to do justice to such a vast topic as German literature to 1945, this historical dictionary provides an excellent overview of the material. Following in the footsteps of earlier works written by Grange (Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln) on German literature since 1945 and on German theater, this volume provides well-written, authoritative entries on the most important authors, works, and movements of this period. In a crowded field of general encyclopedias of German literature, one might expect it to be easily outclassed by other entrants such as Henry Garland and Mary Garland's Oxford Companion to German Literature (3rd ed., 1997) and Matthias Konzett's edited, two-volume Encyclopedia of German Literature (CH, Nov'00, 38-1280). However, Grange's work more than holds its own in the quality of its articles, though it does not have the depth of coverage of the two previous works. The articles are lively, highly original, and informative, filled with Grange's own personal opinions and likely to be of great value to students and nonspecialists. This book will be an excellent addition to any college, university, or large public library that may not need the larger, more detailed Oxford Companion and Encyclopedia. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers. * CHOICE *