Description
Book SynopsisA tale that leads from ventriloquism and mania to a family murder and emotional breakdown. It ties revolutionary-era Gothic themes to struggles over the politics of Enlightenment on both sides of the Atlantic. It includes Brown's "Memoirs of Carwin" the "Biloquist" and writings on Cicero.
Trade ReviewAn impressive edition . . . the most thoroughly satisfying historical and literary contextualization for the novel that I've ever encountered. Shapiro and Barnard offer a rich transatlantic artistic and ideological context that helps pull the whole novel into coherent focus. The footnotes to the novel are incredibly thorough, helpful, and interesting. . . . This Hackett edition of Wieland [is] the freshest and most topical of those now available. --Dana D. Nelson, Vanderbilt University
The 'related texts' are impressive . . . This edition gives a fresh perspective on sources. Wieland's Germanic literary influences are shown to subvert the conservative aims of the ideas of Enlightened Absolutism, practised by Frederick the Great. Gottfried Burger's influential poem, Lenore, extracts from German horror and Illuminati novel, and the writings of Christoph Martin Wieland (whose name Brown borrowed) deepen our understanding of Brown's progressive politics as displayed in this novel.--Max Fincher, Times Literary Supplement
