ETA Hoffmann

Unless you are a literature/horror aficinado, you may never have heard of  Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, a German writer from the late 18th century.  He predated Poe by almost half a century and in his time was probably as well known then as Stephen King and Clive Barker are today.   His stories were considered terrifying in his time.   Several of his stories were the basis for the well-known opera by Jacques Offenbach “Tales of Hoffmann”.  If you have never heard the music from this, it would be worthwhile to listen for it or to buy a CD of it.  It is very impressive.  As with the photo of Stoker, I obtained this image from Wikimedia Commons, where it is listed as being in the public domain.

Author: Phil Slattery

Publisher, Rural Fiction Magazine; publisher, The Chamber Magazine; founder, the Farmington Writers Circle. I have written short stories and poetry for many years. In my careers as a Naval officer and in the federal government, I have written thousands of documents of many types. I am currently working on a second edition for my poetry collection and a few novels. View all posts by Phil Slattery