Latest Review: "Selected Prose of Heinrich von Kleist"

The latest addition to our Review Section is a piece by Monica Carter on the Selected Prose of Heinrich von Kleist, which was translated from the German by Peter Wortsman and published by Archipelago Books.

Monica Carter is a very steady reviewer for us, who also serves on the fiction panel for the Best Translated Book award, runs the fabulous site Salonica and works at Skylight Books in L.A.

Always strange to say things like this about mega-famous authors who influenced writers like Kafka and Mann, but it seems like Kleist is undergoing a sort of moment—at least as regards American publishers and readers. In addition to this wonderful collection, Melville House reissued the Martin Greenberg translation of Michael Kohlhaas a few years back as part of their stunning Art of the Novella series.

Here’s the opening of Monica’s extremely positive review:

For as little known as he is, for as long ago as he lived and for a short a time as he was alive, it’s amazing the amount of impacting work German short story writer, poet, dramatist, and essayist Heinrich von Kleist produced during his life time. Born in 1777 and dead of suicide in 1811, Kleist suffered the bane of many famous writers—ridiculed and dismissed during his lifetime but respected and revered once time passed and history decided he was a worthy entry in the annals of literature. Today his plays are considered classic stalwarts of the German theatrical canon and his prose is known to have heavily influenced Kafka and Mann. And once again, the English speaking contingent of world literature can thank Archipelago Books for bring his varied and masterful work to our attention.

The Selected Prose of Heinrich von Kleist is a collection of superbly crafted stories and essays that span cultures and centuries but deftly exposes the universality of human tragedy. Although at first glance the language may feel dated and melodramatic, it is deceptive to label him as a writer with an antiquated style that was only relevant to his era. His style is distinct and was also considered so at the time, and what becomes more evident to the reader as she moves through this collection of prose is that the complexity of his language serves as a respite for the reader from the tension created by the intricate plotting. Once the reader settles into his prose, the language laden sentences that seemingly turn themselves inside out mesmerize us into a leisurely pace that is comforting in its cadence.

Click here to read the full review.