The Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach - Classic Opera Book | Dodo Press Edition - Perfect for Opera Lovers, Literature Students & Book Collectors

E.T.A. Hoffmann was in his own way a singular artist of the early nineteenth century. He was a musician, he painted set designs for plays, he wrote novels, stories and novellas. He also had an influence on the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Fyodor Dostoevsky.I read this collection years ago. I bought it recently because I wanted to read the tales once again, enjoy them and learn from them. Hoffmann is one of the masters of his times and it's a pleasure to reread his works. He is great with atmosphere, his tales are compelling and they linger in the imagination. I love the German novella format he incorporates - longer than a story, shorter than a novel but with the richness of both worlds.If you love German literature, this and Kleist's collection of stories are great reads.