I have agreed to help Richard Layman at Bruccoli Clark Layman
Publishing to find authors for a series – it has been running for over
seven years—on medieval and nineteenth century literary criticism
published by Gale. Layman is taking over the series from Gale’s editors.
The primary thrust is to provide 1) a 1500 word introduction to the
figure or period or work 2) to provide reprints of significant secondary
literature from all periods (this is the bulk of the “entry,” which takes
up about a third of a good-sized book. 3) a primary and secondary
bibliography. I attach a sheet explaining the process in more detail. The
publisher will do a lot of the work, providing as a first step, and in the
first two weeks, a list of secondary lit which the author is to select the
entries to be reprinted. Publisher will also provide a primary
bibliography, based on Dictionary of Literary Biography entries, which
the author is asked to look over and make appropriate recent additions
if any.
The 19th c. topics are:
1. Heine (the whole man, critic, poet, social critic, exile): topic taken
2. Goethe’s Sufferings of Young Werther: this is taken
3. Kotzebue, the whole man and his vogue. Rich materials here.
4. Kant: The Three “Critiques” or Kant full presentation.
5. Franz Grillparzer: The Novellas: Der arme Spielmann and Das Kloster
bei Sendomir. Or Three Major Plays by Grillparzer.: topic taken.
6. C. F. Meyer: The Novellas (or could be a selection of three of the
best)
7. Joseph von Eichendorff, Aus dem Leben eines Taugenichts (From the
Life of a Good-for-Nothing). One could, if desired, add to this another
master-novella of his, Das Marmorbild.
This can be interesting, and need not be overly time consuming. I
would appreciate your passing the word along to professors or advanced
graduate students, typically ABDs, who might be interested in one of
the topics listed in the attachment. I also welcome your own
recommendations for authors and for those here and in the UK who may
have good contact with colleagues in the field.
Payment is $500.00 for the entry.
In another part of the series, I also seek medievalists. Articles on
Hartmann, Gottfried, and the Nibelungenlied, as well as the Arthurian
Legend in Medieval Tradition have been approved. Of these only
Hartmann has been assigned.
Other likely topics include Einhard, or the topic, Einhard's Life of
Charlemagne, and Alcuin.
As you will have seen, this is an especially nice opportunity for younger
professors and for outstanding graduate students.
Pls contact me for more detailed information.
With all best regards,
James Hardin
Professor of German and Comparative Literature emeritus
U of South Carolina
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