E.T.A. Hoffman's wildly original fictions are some of the most unusual examples of German Romanticism's dark passions, and the stories in Tales of Hoffman are selected and translated from the German with an introduction by R.J. Hollingdale in Penguin Classics. This selection of Hoffmann's finest short stories vividly demonstrates his intense imagination and preoccupation with the supernatural, placing him at the forefront of both surrealism and the modern horror genre. Suspense dominates tales such as Mademoiselle de Scudery, in which an apprentice goldsmith and a female novelist find themselves caught up in a series of jewel thefts and murders. In the sinister The Sandman, famously used by Sigmund Freud to illustrate both his concept of the unheimlich, or 'uncanny', and of Oedipal guilt, a young man's sanity is tormented by fears about a mysterious chemist; while in The Choosing of a Bride a greedy father preys on the weaknesses of his daughter's suitors. Master of the bizarre, Hoffman creates a sinister and unsettling world combining love and madness, black humour and bewildering illusion. This edition contains authoritative translations of Hoffman's best stories. In his introduction, R.J. Hollingdale explores the background of these works and examines the duality of Hoffman's life - a lawyer by day and creator of a world of fantasy by night. E.T.A Hoffmann (1776-1822) studied law and entered the Prussian civil service, but his over-riding ambition was to become a graphic artist and painter. He turned to fiction only in his thirties, living a Jekyll-and-Hyde existence as lawyer by day, author by night - and became one of the most influential authors of his time.

No literature can produce a more original writer than Ernst Thcodor Wilhelm Hoffmann (1776-1822), a German Romantic author of fantasy and horror, better known by his pen name E. T. A. Hoffmann (Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann). His works are very numerous and were published at Berlin in fifteen volumes. He is the subject and hero of Jacques Offenbach's famous but fictional opera The Tales of Hoffmann. Of the two tales in this book, The Sandman is from the collection "Night Pieces," and The Elementary Spirit is from his "Later Works." In these stories, Hoffmanns purpose is to point out the ill-effect of a morbid desire after an imaginary world, and a distaste for realities. Different as their adventures are, there is a striking similarity in the characters of Nathaniel (in The Sandman) and Victor (in The Elementary Spirit). However wild may be the subjects of Hoffmann, and however rambling his method of treating them, his style is remarkably lucid. The story of the Sandman had its origin in a discussion which actually took place between La Motte Fouque (a German writer of the romantic movement, 1777-1843) and some friends, at which Hoffmann was present. Some of the party found fault with the cold, mechanical deportment of a young lady of their acquaintance, while La Motte Fouque zealously defended her. Here Hoffmann caught the notion of the automaton Olympia, and the arguments used by Nathaniel are those that were employed by La Motte Fouque.

No literature can produce a more original writer than Ernst Thcodor Wilhelm Hoffmann (1776-1822), a German Romantic author of fantasy and horror, better known by his pen name E. T. A. Hoffmann (Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann). His works are very numerous and were published at Berlin in fifteen volumes. He is the subject and hero of Jacques Offenbach's famous but fictional opera The Tales of Hoffmann. Of the two tales in this book, The Sandman is from the collection "Night Pieces," and The Elementary Spirit is from his "Later Works." In these stories, Hoffmanns purpose is to point out the ill-effect of a morbid desire after an imaginary world, and a distaste for realities. Different as their adventures are, there is a striking similarity in the characters of Nathaniel (in The Sandman) and Victor (in The Elementary Spirit). However wild may be the subjects of Hoffmann, and however rambling his method of treating them, his style is remarkably lucid. The story of the Sandman had its origin in a discussion which actually took place between La Motte Fouque (a German writer of the romantic movement, 1777-1843) and some friends, at which Hoffmann was present. Some of the party found fault with the cold, mechanical deportment of a young lady of their acquaintance, while La Motte Fouque zealously defended her. Here Hoffmann caught the notion of the automaton Olympia, and the arguments used by Nathaniel are those that were employed by La Motte Fouque.

Издание на немецком языке. В свой знаменитый цикл «Ночные этюды» всемирно известный немецкий писатель Эрнст Теодор Амадей Гофман включил восемь мистических новелл, которые погружают читателя в зловещий и опасный мир двойников, чернокнижников, алхимиков и демонических безумцев. Благодаря возросшему в XVIII веке интересу к гротеску и всему сверхъестественному, ночь стала символом всего недоступного рациональному познанию. Живописное изображение ночных сцен Гофман переносит в литературу, подобно художнику используя эффект резких контрастов: свет и тьма, разум и безумие, реальность и фантазии, всегда находящиеся в противоречии и противоборстве между собой. Обращаясь к темным сторонам жизни, ввергающим человека в отчаяние, страх и безумие, Гофман в духе темного романтизма мастерски использует ночную метафору для освещения загадочных, мрачных и устрашающих глубин человеческой души. Книга издана в неадаптированной версии. Наслаждайтесь ночным и таинственным миром творческой фантазии Гофмана в оригинале!

Издание на немецком языке. В свой знаменитый цикл «Ночные этюды» всемирно известный немецкий писатель Эрнст Теодор Амадей Гофман включил восемь мистических новелл, которые погружают читателя в зловещий и опасный мир двойников, чернокнижников, алхимиков и демонических безумцев. Благодаря возросшему в XVIII веке интересу к гротеску и всему сверхъестественному, ночь стала символом всего недоступного рациональному познанию. Живописное изображение ночных сцен Гофман переносит в литературу, подобно художнику используя эффект резких контрастов: свет и тьма, разум и безумие, реальность и фантазии, всегда находящиеся в противоречии и противоборстве между собой. Обращаясь к темным сторонам жизни, ввергающим человека в отчаяние, страх и безумие, Гофман в духе темного романтизма мастерски использует ночную метафору для освещения загадочных, мрачных и устрашающих глубин человеческой души. Книга издана в неадаптированной версии. Наслаждайтесь ночным и таинственным миром творческой фантазии Гофмана в оригинале!

Ernst Theodor Amadeus (E. T. A.) Hoffmann - beruhmter deutscher Schriftsteller, in dessen Werken gehen die Geisterwelt, Kriminalgeschichten und ungewohnliche Abenteuer unvermittelt ineinander uber. "Lebens-Ansichten des Katers Murr" ist der letzte, am meisten autobiographische Roman des groften deutschen Schriftstellers. Der ungewohnliche, mehrschichtige Roman beinhaltet die Notizen des gelehrten Katers, Pragmatikers und Epikureers Murr, zudem anscheinend zufallig in das Manuskript gelangte Blatter aus der Biographie des "wunderlichen Kapellmeisters" Kreisler, eines unverbesserlichen Romantikers und des Alter ego von Hoffmann selbst.

Ernst Theodor Amadeus (E. T. A.) Hoffmann - beruhmter deutscher Schriftsteller, in dessen Werken gehen die Geisterwelt, Kriminalgeschichten und ungewohnliche Abenteuer unvermittelt ineinander uber. "Lebens-Ansichten des Katers Murr" ist der letzte, am meisten autobiographische Roman des groften deutschen Schriftstellers. Der ungewohnliche, mehrschichtige Roman beinhaltet die Notizen des gelehrten Katers, Pragmatikers und Epikureers Murr, zudem anscheinend zufallig in das Manuskript gelangte Blatter aus der Biographie des "wunderlichen Kapellmeisters" Kreisler, eines unverbesserlichen Romantikers und des Alter ego von Hoffmann selbst.

Ernst Theodor Amadeus (E.T.A.) Hoffmann — beruhmter deutscher Schriftsteller, in dessen Werken gehen die Geisterwelt, Kriminalgeschichten und ungewohnliche Abenteuer unvermittelt ineinander uber.„Lebens-Ansichten des Katers Murr" ist der letzte, am meisten autobiographische Roman des groften deutschen Schriftstellers. Der ungewohnliche, mehrschichtige Roman beinhaltet die Notizen des gelehrten Katers, Pragmatikers und Epikureers Murr, zudem anscheinend zufallig in das Manuskript gelangte Blatter aus der Biographie des „wunderlichen Kapellmeisters" Kreisler, eines unverbesserlichen Romantikers und des Alter ego von Hoffmann selbst.

Ernst Theodor Amadeus (E.T.A.) Hoffmann — beruhmter deutscher Schriftsteller, in dessen Werken gehen die Geisterwelt, Kriminalgeschichten und ungewohnliche Abenteuer unvermittelt ineinander uber.„Lebens-Ansichten des Katers Murr" ist der letzte, am meisten autobiographische Roman des groften deutschen Schriftstellers. Der ungewohnliche, mehrschichtige Roman beinhaltet die Notizen des gelehrten Katers, Pragmatikers und Epikureers Murr, zudem anscheinend zufallig in das Manuskript gelangte Blatter aus der Biographie des „wunderlichen Kapellmeisters" Kreisler, eines unverbesserlichen Romantikers und des Alter ego von Hoffmann selbst.

Written in 1816 by one of the leaders of German Romanticism for his children, nephews, and nieces, The Nutcracker captures better than any other story a child's wonder at Christmas. The gift of a handsomely decorated nutcracker from a mysterious uncle sets the stage for a Christmas Eve like no other for the little girl Marie. That night, Marie's extraordinary present comes to life, defends her from the taunting Mouse King, and whisks her off to the Kingdom of Dolls. The inspiration for the classic ballet, E. T. A. Hoffmann's irresistible tale of magic and childhood adventure continues to captivate readers of all ages. Today, many of the most enchanting symbols of Christmas, from nutcrackers to sugar plums to mistletoe, are still imbued with the power of this story.

On Christmas Eve, Fritz and Marie excitedly await the arrival of Godfather Drosselmeier and the marvellous gifts he brings for them every year. When Marie discovers a curious nutcracker doll among the presents, she suddenly finds herself caught up in an age-old battle before being transported to a magical world of sugar-frosted castles, chocolate kings, and true love. Sanna Annukka is familiar to many from her collaborations with Marimekko and her artwork for Keane's album, Under the Iron Sea. The Nutcracker is her third book project. This cloth-bound edition combines the charm of Hoffmann's original nineteenth-century tale with the freshness of Sanna Annuka's gorgeous illustrations. A beautiful gift to give and receive.

Nathanael remains haunted by his childhood fear that the lawyer Coppelius, a strange night-time visitor who used to come to his house to conduct alchemical experiments with his father – the latter dying as a consequence of one of these sessions – was none other than the Sandman, a mythical figure who was said to steal the eyes of children who refused to go to sleep. When a mysterious Italian salesman comes to town, Nathanael’s suspicions are reawakened, pushing him to the brink of madness as extraordinary events unfold. First published in 1816, this classic of German Gothic fiction has enthralled generations ever since, and has spawned countless interpretations by critics intrigued by its powerful symbolism. Sigmund Freud famously examined the novella in relation to his concept of the “Uncanny”, and an extract from this analysis is included in this volume.

Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. The gift of a handsomely decorated, enigmatic nutcracker sets the stage for a Christmas like no other: there will be legends of ancient curses, battles with the dreaded Mouse King, and a visit to the wonderful Kingdom of Dolls. The inspiration for the classic ballet, E. T. A. Hoffmann's irresistible tale of magic and mystery continues to be the perfect encapsulation of a child's wonder at Christmas.

Предлагаем вниманию читателей сказочную повесть немецкого писателя-романтика Э. Т. А. Гофмана, которая является вершиной первого периода его творчества. В книге приводится полный неадаптированный текст повести с постраничным комментарием и словарем. Вступительная статья, комментарии и словарь Н.В. Пигиной.

Эрнст Теодор Гофман - знаменитый немецкий писатель-романист, в произведениях которого искусно переплетены мистика, детектив и необычные приключения. "Мадемуазель де Скюдери" - одно из самых известных произведений автора. В напуганный Париж приходит беда: таинственный вор драгоценностей исчезает перед самым носом стражи, оставляя за собой лишь вереницу трупов. Полиция вводит комендантский час, чем вызывает протесты влюблённых. Главная героиня, поэтесса Мадемуазель де Скюдери, реагирует на их петицию строчками о том, что любовник, боящийся воров, недостоин любви, но в ответ получает от убийцы неожиданную посылку - шкатулку с драгоценностями… Заинтригованная и бесстрашная женщина решает распутать это преступление! Читайте зарубежную литературу в оригинале!

Предлагаем вниманию читателей одно из самых известных произведений немецкого писателя-романтика Э.Т.А. Гофмана. В книге приводится полный неадаптированный текст сказки, снабженный постраничным комментарием и словарем. Комментарии, словарь и вступительная статья: Гильченок Н.Л.