German Poetry in Transition, 1945-1990 [Paperback]

Charlotte Melin (Editor, Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1999

An ambitious bilingual anthology of postwar German poetry.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Like most literature in transition, German poetry of the Cold War is beset with feelings of uncontrollable outrage, often served with a heavy dose of irony and a declaration of utter helplessness. Melin (German, Univ. of Minnesota) here collects poems from both Germanys, as well as Austria and Switzerland. The result: a solid bilingual anthology with a scholarly analysis outlining the nature and progress of the literary movements that have inspired a generation and a delicate look at how the historical inevitably becomes the personal. Melin, who has carefully edited and translated this collection, arranges the poems by decade, thus showing how literature and politics intersect and become best friends and worst enemies. All the greats are included: Gottfried Benn, Bertolt Brecht, Hans Arp, Paul Celan, and many more. The last section, which is dedicated to the years preceding the fall of the Berlin Wall, is a true tour de force; as Richard Wagner aptly observes here, "History makes a wide curve around us, but it comes back again." Indispensable for every student of German poetry, this anthology belongs in all literary collections.
-Mirela Roncevic, "Library Journal"
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

An essential survey . . . Melin provides an excellent introduction . . . This is perhaps the most comprehensive and intelligently produced survey available. -- Publishers Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 405 pages
• Publisher: UPNE; Bilingual German-English ed. edition (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874519152
• ISBN-13: 978-0874519150
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,341,416 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)