Karl Kraus: Apocalyptic Satirist: Culture and Catastrophe in Habsburg Vienna [Paperback]

Edward Timms (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 10, 1989

This is a fascinating study of the life and work of Karl Kraus, brilliant Austrian writer, satirist and personality of fin de siecle Vienna. This encyclopaedic study of his life, his work and his generation will be of great interest to both the enthusiast and the general student of European culture. Drawing on unfamiliar sources, Edward Timms analyses Kraus's involvement in the fundamental ideological issues of his time, and shows that Kraus's political position - caught between traditional Habsburg loyalties and new democratic commitments - was far more complex than has previously been suspected. 'A major landmark in Kraus studies, and an important contribution to our understanding of the culture of the early twentieth century. It abounds in discoveries and insights.' Times Higher Education Supplement 'Timm's lucid prose, his masterly organization of the voluminous material he treats, his excellent translations of the documents he cites and his broad, readable portrayal of Viennese fin-de-siecle culture makes this study accessible to the average reader and a pleasure for the literary professional ... An example of German studies at its best.' European Studies Journal 'This study, which takes us to the end of the Great War, is unquestionably the most detailed and thoughtful book about him in amy language. Edward Timms' account skilfully interweaves his life, times and work.' The Listener 'Timms successfully weaves a colourful, and thoroughly researched and documented account of essential cultural currents in Habsburg Vienna around his central figure. Copious illustrations and photographs enhance a most enjoyable text, making this an ideal introduction to Kraus and his work.' Choice Edward Timms is lecturer in German at the University of Cambridge and a fellow of Gonville and Caius College.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Karl Kraus (1874-1936), flamboyant satirist of turn-of-the-century Viennese society and culture, is but slowly gaining recognition in the English-speaking world. A contemporary of Freud, Schnitzler, Wittgenstein, Canetti, Schonberg, and Kokoschka, Kraus was most influential as an editor, publisher, and writer of the polemic journal Die Fackel (1899-1936). Drawing both on published texts and unpublished materials, Timms presents a fascinating portrait of Kraus as a complex and paradoxical figure within the broad cultural context of his times. Timms's book is a significant contribution to the study of early 20th-century European culture as well as to Kraus scholarship and thus should appeal to generalist and specialist alike. Recommended. Ulrike S. Rettig, German Dept., Wellesley Coll., Mass.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Edward Timms meticulously interprets this major writer's most complex period of literary, cultural, and political activity, providing what amounts to an entire cultural history of the period."-Professor Gilbert Carr, Trinity College Dublin (Professor Gilbert Carr )

"Timms establishes himself as the premier Kraus scholar writing in English. . . . Marked by impeccable scholarship and fine style. . . Essential." (Choice ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 460 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (September 10, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300044836
• ISBN-13: 978-0300044836
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,275,851 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Watch out--this is Volume One!, March 13, 2009

By 

D. Ramsey (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Karl Kraus: Apocalyptic Satirist: Culture and Catastrophe in Habsburg Vienna (Paperback)

Amazon refuses to fix this problem. They are trying to list Timm's Karl Kraus volume one paperback as volume two in a paperback edition which apparently does not exist. Buyer beware!

1 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant surprise, June 10, 2007

By 

george ephraim - See all my reviews

This review is from: Karl Kraus: Apocalyptic Satirist, Volume 2: The Postwar Crisis and the Rise of the Swastika (Hardcover)

It was a pleasure to receive Timms' second volume on Karl Kraus. It came new and in mint condition. Thank you Amazon.