First, let’s start with the most important thing: the scandal du jour. I’m talking about that Bookforum piece—my forthcoming piece in Bookforum on the inimitable yet woefully underappreciated German Romantic E.T.A Hoffmann (known to many, or at least to me, as “the Renata Adler of Proto-Freudian Tales of the Uncanny.") Alas, it’s not available online yet, but it’s in the print issue, and I’m sure that when it goes up it will spark a Fiery Discourse about how Kleist and Hoffmann are actually better than Goethe. Shots have been FIRED! Tweets will proliferate!
Could someone explain the Renata Adler references/variations to a non-native English speaker—it's all over Twitter in connection to the Oyler review and I'm puzzled...
Looking forward to the review—for ETA Hoffman aficionados, check out Offenbach's great opera Les Contes d'Hoffmann based on three of his short stories, with Hoffmann being the main character. It has a show-stopping, difficult-to-sing aria called The Doll Song in the first act, and the most beautiful barcarolle duet in the third act (Belle nuit...).
I cant believe your BF piece compelled me, a person whose daily reading predominantly consists of consumer review of bathrobes, to start devouring some hella old german gothic horror?!
Overjoyed to be known as a bringer of rugelach :)
fully agree that kleist is better than goethe
I think people can both have reasons for what they write and also be driven by subpersonal and superpersonal unconscious factors. I know i am!
Could someone explain the Renata Adler references/variations to a non-native English speaker—it's all over Twitter in connection to the Oyler review and I'm puzzled...
Looking forward to the review—for ETA Hoffman aficionados, check out Offenbach's great opera Les Contes d'Hoffmann based on three of his short stories, with Hoffmann being the main character. It has a show-stopping, difficult-to-sing aria called The Doll Song in the first act, and the most beautiful barcarolle duet in the third act (Belle nuit...).
I cant believe your BF piece compelled me, a person whose daily reading predominantly consists of consumer review of bathrobes, to start devouring some hella old german gothic horror?!
Well-said.
This whole thing smacks of gender.
🙏
fwiw, I’ve seen the complete opposite reaction to Manov’s piece, but maybe we just follow different people on Twitter/substack…
yes!!! YES!