“Readers should know that–however curious or charming these tales are–little of this depth of Scheerbart’s thinking is revealed here through this book.”

I understand that there is more going on with Scheerbart than mere fairy tales, reverie, or fantastical imaginings. But readers should know that–however curious or charming these tales are (and I would describe the first four as charming and heartfelt)–little of this depth of thinking is revealed here through this book. I think, perhaps, that this work is not an adequate or fair introduction to Paul Scheerbart, a set of tales that best might be read later in a study of him, in order to appreciate how they fit into his larger architectural thinking of glass, of perception, of idealism.

As they are, on their own, they are harmless and at moment evocative tellings, reminders of the kinds of people we might actually be, if only we were allowed.

I reserved the first four tales for this, because the mime play which ends the collection is of a wholly different character, odd and befuddling, hard to imagine, as a performed work. I understand that Richard Strauss undertook to create it as a ballet of sorts, but this was never realized. We are left with this sketchy description of a silent plotting of the cosmos. Again, without the broader sense of Scheerbart’s thinking, bordering on incomprehensible.