Weird Tales, Vol. 2 cover

Weird Tales, Vol. 2

Rating 4.2
Word count
750K words
Chapters
75

Tags

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Weird Tales, Vol. 2 (of 2) by E. T. A. HoffmannAuthor: Hoffmann, E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus), 1776-1822,Language: English, Class: PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures, Release Date: Feb 28, 2010

Editor's review

Weird Tales, Vol. 2 is an English translation collection of short weird fiction by the German Romantic writer E. T. A. Hoffmann, issued as the second volume in Project Gutenberg's free eBook series. Hoffmann moves between reality and hallucination, often starting from everyday settings and sliding into eerie, absurd, or deeply unsettling supernatural territory, leaving a lasting mark on later weird fiction and psychological horror. This volume follows the selection style of the first, making it suitable as an introduction or companion to German Romantic weird narrative. As a public-domain eBook, the text was prepared and proofread by volunteers and is free to access, though readers should note that the early translation can feel dated and some pieces unfold slowly. It suits quiet, piece-by-piece reading to savor the mounting pressure of the narrative rather than fast-paced sensory thrills. For readers tracing the lineage of Gothic and weird literature, it has textual reference value; for general readers, it is a classic tale collection to dip into at leisure.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers of Gothic and weird literature tracing the roots of psychological horror.
  • Scholars of German Romantic literature needing an English translation for reference.
  • Classic literature fans used to short-form reading and comfortable with slow buildup.
  • Free eBook users willing to proofread public-domain texts themselves.

Not a good fit for

  • Readers seeking modern fast-paced horror and strong sensory shocks.
  • Readers with limited English who struggle with nineteenth-century translation style.
  • Beginners hoping for full annotations and scholarly introductions.

Reading tips

  1. Start by scanning the contents and trying a shorter piece to get used to the translation before reading through systematically.
  2. Pause briefly after each story and note where the narrative slips from reality into the eerie.
  3. Read alongside material on Hoffmann's life and German Romanticism for context.
  4. Adjust font size and line spacing on an e-reader to ease long sentences in the old translation.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35
  36. 36
  37. 37
  38. 38
  39. 39
  40. 40
  41. 41
  42. 42
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
  47. 47
  48. 48
  49. 49
  50. 50
  51. 51
  52. 52
  53. 53
  54. 54
  55. 55
  56. 56
  57. 57
  58. 58
  59. 59
  60. 60
  61. 61
  62. 62
  63. 63
  64. 64
  65. 65
  66. 66
  67. 67
  68. 68
  69. 69
  70. 70
  71. 71
  72. 72
  73. 73
  74. 74
  75. 75

FAQ

Do I need to read Volume 1 first?
The stories are largely independent, so you can read Volume 2 without Volume 1. The two volumes share a consistent selection style, though, and reading in order gives a smoother overall sense of Hoffmann's weird fiction.
Can I read this if my English isn't strong?
This is an English translation with a nineteenth-century flavor, including long sentences and old-fashioned expressions. Readers with limited English may find it difficult; try one story first, or start with a Hoffmann anthology available in Chinese translation.
Is this a horror book?
It is closer to weird and psychological suspense than modern gore horror. Hoffmann excels at making everyday settings gradually lose their footing, creating unease and absurdity; the appeal is atmosphere rather than jump scares.
How good is the eBook text?
It comes from Project Gutenberg, prepared and proofread by volunteers as a free public-domain eBook. It is generally readable, but the early translation may show occasional typographical or punctuation differences; check against other editions if that matters to you.

Comments

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About the author

E. T. A. Hoffmann (Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, 1776–1822) was a major German writer of the Romantic era whose work spans fiction, fairy tales, and fantastic stories. The library holds 17 of his works, including Nachtstücke, Der Goldene Topf, Lebensansichten des Katers Murr, Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober, The Serapion Brethren, and The Devil's Elixir. His writing is marked by the grotesque, the supernatural, and psychological illusion, moving between reality and fantasy; it has had a lasting influence on later fantasy literature and the tradition of psychological narrative. His subjects range from fairy-tale invention to a searching look at the darker sides of human nature. Public information is limited, so no biographical details are given here; readers may approach this author through the subjects and styles of the works mentioned above.