Five Portraits: Modernity and the Imagination in Twentieth-Century German Writing

Focusing on five influential writers, this collection of essays delves into the interplay between their artistic ambitions and the tumultuous cultural landscape of the past century. Bernstein explores how Rilke, Celan, Musil, Heidegger, and Benjamin grappled with the challenge of crafting enduring works amidst a society preoccupied with catastrophe. His elegant and accessible prose offers a compelling portrait of an era whose struggles and aspirations still resonate in contemporary life.