Walter Benjamin Zur Einführung

by Sven Kramer

Book by Sven Kramer

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Christian]

I have to read a lot of Adorno in uni, not so much Walter Benjamin, but his name kinda rang around and I read a bit about him which made me intrigued. So when I found this small Introduction I instantly bought it.
Adorno and Benjamin often talked about similar themes, but I prefer Benjamins kind of thinking. He is that anti-pop and anti-film as Adorno, but sees it as an expansion of productive potential (which it is).
What I also found interesting was his view on history. Rather than looking at history as a linear and causal timeline, he proposes to pick out a certain time period and compare it to the present to find solutions. Much more action-oriented than I think of history, but I will try to work by it. In the end he uses "quotes" of history and wants to creates montages of historic circumstances to use in the present.
Sadly Benjamin died too early and too tragically.

[Cassidy Brinn]

author of an introduction shouldn't be so eager not to unduly influence or lead - many long quotes and little direction, almost more like a very minimal reader than a proper introduction