The Sand-Man and other stories

by E.T.A. Hoffmann

El presente volumen, El hombre de la arena y otras historias siniestras, reúne siete narraciones inquietantes y extraordinarias, en una línea que hoy calificaríamos de «realismo mágico». Un personaje recurrente de muchos de estos relatos es el «genio del mal», un trasunto amargo y desmitificado del «artista genial», aislado de sus semejantes, trágico, incomprendido y abocado fatalmente a la locura, como en “El hombre de la arena” o “La iglesia de los jesuitas de G***”.

Genres: Horror, Classics, Short Stories, Fiction, Literature, German Literature, Gothic

212 pages, Paperback

Published April 4, 2008

About the author

Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann, better known by his pen name E. T. A. Hoffmann (Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann), was a German Romantic author of fantasy and horror, a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist. His stories form the basis of Jacques Offenbach's famous opera The Tales of Hoffmann, in which Hoffman appears (heavily fictionalized) as the hero. He is also the author of the novella The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, on which the famous ballet The Nutcracker is based. The ballet Coppélia is based on two other stories that Hoffmann wrote, while Schumann's Kreisleriana is based on Hoffmann's character Johannes Kreisler.

Hoffmann's stories were very influential during the 19th century, and he is one of the major authors of the Romantic movement.

Reviews

[Vit Babenco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some nonexistent creatures are more real to us than many real nonentities…

“There is no Sandman, dear child,” replied my mother. “When I say the Sandman's coming, I only mean that you're sleepy and can't keep your eyes open – just as if sand had been sprinkled into them.”

There is something very special in the tales of E.T.A. Hoffmann – two centuries have gone but his stories still remain enigmatic, startling and morosely nocturnal.

And now Nathaniel saw that a pair of eyes lay upon the ground, staring at him; these Spalanzani caught up, with his unwounded hand, and flung into his bosom. Then madness seized Nathaniel in its burning claws, and clutched his very soul, destroying his every sense and thought.

And his tales are gloomily picturesque and tenebrously poetic.

The painter turned round to us, but immediately proceeded with his work, saying in an indistinct, and almost inaudible voice: ‘Great deal of trouble – crooked, confused stuff – no rule to make use of – beasts – apes – human faces – human faces – miserable fool that I am!’
These last words he cried aloud in a voice, that nothing but the deepest agony working in the soul could produce. I felt strangely affected; – these words, the expression of face, the glance which he had previously cast at the professor, brought before my eyes the whole struggling life of an unfortunate artist. The man could have been scarcely more than forty years old; his form, though disfigured by the unseemly, dirty costume of a painter, had something in it indescribably noble, and deep grief could only discolour his face, but could not extinguish the fire that sparkled in his black eyes.

And for those who read E.T.A. Hoffmann’s timeless stories Sandman exists.

[Bibliowulf · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Sandman" : This is without a doubt the most terrifying depiction of madness I have ever encountered in literature.

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I'm not even sure what to make of The Sand-Man at this point. So, I won't post much of a review except to say that I found it kind of strange.

[kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

madness…and badness… COMbineashun.

[imn0tmara_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s without a doubt one of the most horrific books i ever read

[Kitzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read Sigmund Freud's summary in the essay "The Uncanny" first, this short story seems to be already a summary of the events, doing exactly all the metaphoric, allegoric and thematic things the uncanny implies: the doubling, the doubling of the I, of the eyes... The foundation of the uncanny when it comes to eyes, automata and life.

[Heinzel Wienerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is dope AF! Worthy of Kubrick, Jackson, or perhaps more appropriately Hitchcock. I got goosebumps multiple times. It’s a very old story of humanity encountering what is essentially AI (artificial intelligence). I know…I know.

[Amandria · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a haunting story.

I only read The Sand-Man.

[Shianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madness.

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explicit madness. Confusing yet scary.

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

So confusing and kinda boring, but lots of interesting metaphors

[Lufan · Rating 5 out of 5]

still a classic, and helpful to understand so many experimental cinema.

[Maya · Rating 1 out of 5]

I appreciate the plot to this story; however, it bored me and just couldn’t grab my interest.
This is appropriate for teens.