HANS WAGENER, ED. of thousands of copies in the Germany of Zeitkritische Romane des 20. the 1920ies), we see how "tame," imprac­ tical, and hopelessly "weltfremd" those Jahrhunderts: Die Gesellschaft in der German novelists were. Many seem to have Kritik der deutschen Literatur had no contact with the masses what­ Stuttgart: Reclam, 1975. Pp. 392. ever; they wrote their books without giving a thought to the intellectual (or even stylistic) level of the people who—they In his preface, Wagener says that, in thought—should be influenced by their the case of most authors, it would not be works. Frank, Fallada, and Anna Seghers wise to differentiate between "Zeitkritik" could—potentially—be understood by the on the one hand and "Gesellschaftskritik" masses; all others had little chance of on the other. The epoch covered in reaching a large readership. Kästner began Wagener's book is subdivided into the fol­ to produce popular literature only when it lowing periods: 1. The Society of the was too late. "Kaiserreich," 2. The Weimar Republic, 3. The Third Reich, 4. The Immediate Things changed after 1945. There is no Postwar Period, 5. The Affluent Society doubt about the popularity and integrity since about 1965. Sixteen authors are of Frisch, Walser, Böll, and Grass; they considered: Heinrich Mann, Alfred Dublin, are, in every respect, more sensitive and Leonhard Frank, Hermann Broch, Hans much more influential than their prewar Fallada, Erich Kästner, Hermann Kesten, colleagues; no wonder, they seem to survive Anna Seghers, Ernst Glaeser, Stefan the concerted attacks launched against Andres, Wolfgang Koeppen, Max Frisch, them from the political right. Heinrich Böll, Martin Walser, Günter Grass, Uwe Johnson. The editor explains There are two points which should be why he left out Bruno Traven, Robert mentioned. One: When Wagener speaks Musil, and Joseph Roth: the latter two, for of Germany, he means—after 1945—West instance, were clearly more concerned Germany only. Two: most critics are not with Austrian than with German society. "Literatursoziologen"—as Wagener points Broch, on the other hand, while not being out himself. The terminology used in this a German citizen, wrote mainly about Ger­ book, therefore, is often not the best man society and is, therefore, included; possible. All in all it is an excellent book, Frisch's case is a special one: his criticism carefully edited, beautifully set and print­ of Swiss society applies to West-German ed—a pleasure to read. society as well.

Having established his canon, Wagener Ingrid Schuster had to Find sixteen critics who would hand in their manuscripts by the deadline. He has succeeded in lining up an impressive number of experts; all essays are compe­ tent and some are outstanding; neverthe­ less, the sensitive reader is bound to feel RUTH NICOLS that, here and there, a scholar is struggling Song of the Pearl hard to fulfil his commitment while silently Toronto: Macmillan, 1976. cursing his author and himself. Ulrich Pp. 158. $7.95. Weisstein has written about Heinrich Mann again and again; by now he must find it difficult to say anything new. Several other scholars are in a similar position. This is Ruth Nicols's fourth book. Her first fiction work, Ceremony of Innocence, was This reader has learnt most from two also intended for adults, whereas A Walk essays on authors who, today, are not in out of the World and the award winning the limelight: Klaus Weissenberger on L. The Marrow of the World were primarily Frank and Thomas Koebner on Ernst addressed to children. Glaeser. Quite objective is Hartmut Steinecke on Hermann Broch; Broch—like The major theme of the book is the other German authors between 1918 and quest of the protagonist, Margaret Red­ 1945—was, at least politically, inefficient. mond of Toronto, for the secret of the If we compare him and omers to writers profound love-hatred she feels for her like Upton Sinclair (who sold hundreds uncle.

196 The International Fiction Review, 4 ( 1977)