The Notes: or On Non-premature Reconciliation
A collection of illuminating observations on life and art, from an acclaimed Swiss modernist

Revered by Bertolt Brecht and Max Frisch as one of Switzerland’s most commanding writers, Ludwig Hohl spent most of his waking hours with a pen in hand, collecting quotes from others and recording ruminations of his own. Composed between 1934 and 1936 during his residence in the Netherlands in a state of “extreme spiritual desolation,” The Notes is Hohl’s magnum opus: an assemblage of his epiphany-like observations, disparate in subject yet threaded together by a relentless exploration of the nature and origins of creativity.
 
Inspired by Spinoza, Goethe, and many others, The Notes contends with the purpose of work, the vitality of art, and the inevitability of death—a valiant, uncompromising exercise in hope against the devastating backdrop of twentieth-century Europe. This abridged edition, expertly translated by Tess Lewis and with an illuminating foreword by Joshua Cohen, introduces the reader to this remarkable work and its writer.
1139169353
The Notes: or On Non-premature Reconciliation
A collection of illuminating observations on life and art, from an acclaimed Swiss modernist

Revered by Bertolt Brecht and Max Frisch as one of Switzerland’s most commanding writers, Ludwig Hohl spent most of his waking hours with a pen in hand, collecting quotes from others and recording ruminations of his own. Composed between 1934 and 1936 during his residence in the Netherlands in a state of “extreme spiritual desolation,” The Notes is Hohl’s magnum opus: an assemblage of his epiphany-like observations, disparate in subject yet threaded together by a relentless exploration of the nature and origins of creativity.
 
Inspired by Spinoza, Goethe, and many others, The Notes contends with the purpose of work, the vitality of art, and the inevitability of death—a valiant, uncompromising exercise in hope against the devastating backdrop of twentieth-century Europe. This abridged edition, expertly translated by Tess Lewis and with an illuminating foreword by Joshua Cohen, introduces the reader to this remarkable work and its writer.
37.5 In Stock
The Notes: or On Non-premature Reconciliation

The Notes: or On Non-premature Reconciliation

The Notes: or On Non-premature Reconciliation

The Notes: or On Non-premature Reconciliation

eBook

$37.50 

Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
WANT A NOOK?  Explore Now

Related collections and offers


Overview

A collection of illuminating observations on life and art, from an acclaimed Swiss modernist

Revered by Bertolt Brecht and Max Frisch as one of Switzerland’s most commanding writers, Ludwig Hohl spent most of his waking hours with a pen in hand, collecting quotes from others and recording ruminations of his own. Composed between 1934 and 1936 during his residence in the Netherlands in a state of “extreme spiritual desolation,” The Notes is Hohl’s magnum opus: an assemblage of his epiphany-like observations, disparate in subject yet threaded together by a relentless exploration of the nature and origins of creativity.
 
Inspired by Spinoza, Goethe, and many others, The Notes contends with the purpose of work, the vitality of art, and the inevitability of death—a valiant, uncompromising exercise in hope against the devastating backdrop of twentieth-century Europe. This abridged edition, expertly translated by Tess Lewis and with an illuminating foreword by Joshua Cohen, introduces the reader to this remarkable work and its writer.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780300262797
Publisher: Yale University Press
Publication date: 10/19/2021
Series: Margellos World Republic of Letters Series
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 400
File size: 549 KB

About the Author

Ludwig Hohl (1904–1980), known for his fiction, memoirs, poetry, and reportage, is a preeminent figure in twentieth-century Swiss literature. Tess Lewis is an essayist and critic, as well as a translator of German and French works. Joshua Cohen is the award-winning author of six novels, along with collections of short fiction and nonfiction. His most recent novel is The Netanyahus.

Table of Contents

Foreword Joshua Cohen vii

Introduction Tess Lewis xiii

The Notes

Author's Preface 1

I On Work 3

II On the Accessible and the Inaccessible 30

III Talking, Chattering, Keeping Silent 135

IV The Reader 144

V Art 157

VI On Writing 167

VII Varia 185

Autobiographical Appendix 223

VIII Pharmacists 240

IX Literature 248

X Dream and Dreams 288

XI On Death 293

XII Image 304

Translator's Acknowledgments 343

Index of Names 345

General Index 349

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews