MLR, 104.1, 2009 251 Stefan George: Die Entdeckung desCharisma. By THOMAS KARLAUF. Munich: Blessing.2007. 816pp. C29.95. ISBN978-3-89667-151-6. Thisbiography of the poetStefan Georgeoffers a compelling narrative inanunhur riedtone,full ofvividdescriptions ofGeorge's lifestyle, his restless journeys, and hisoften humorous andunassuming behaviour. Itisvaluableas an exposition, and as an innovation: George appears as a generous host and a pleasant guest; some of his interlocutors, particularly Hofmannsthal, andGeorge'sforemost female friend, IdaCoblenz,appearas stubborn or aggressive; George's theatre projectsaregiven well-deserved prominence. Thomas Karlauftraces George's influence on twentieth century thinkers-Simmel, MaxWeber,Kantorowicz, Benjamin-andmentionsthe successofhisvolumeDas Jahr derSeeleand of theanthology DeutscheDichtung. Karlaufpointsout thatone ofGeorge's concerns was toalerthis friends to the abundanceand urgency of reality (pp.292, 541).He convincingly depictstheat traction of a poeticalHaltung thatprovidedan alternative to 'mysticism, social democracy andNietzsche'(p.443).All thisislaudable. Karlauf'streatment ofthree areas-aesthetics, friendship/sexuality, andhistory/politics-deserves a closerlook. George's intellectual profile andhispoeticachievements remain vague. What is 'George's myth' (p. 268)?How are complexconceptssuchas nationand beauty related (p.288)? What arethe positionsinthe Georgecircle's debateabouttherele vanceofacademia (p.484)?Karlaufsuggests that Georgepostulatedl'art pour l'art (p. 15) and an appreciation fortheconcrete andparticular(pp.388,409)without charging them withmeaning.But thesubstance ofthe Georgecircle's aesthetics can be reconstructed. On theotherhand,onewondershowGeorgecanbe blamedfor neverhavingdefined poetry'exactly' (p.474).Karlaufreadspoemsasbiographical documents, and he is right topoint out that they insist on their rootedness in actual experience and on their applicability; but they also transcend thecontext of their conception-andhencethey should notbe faulted for beingimprecise or inaccurate (PP. 100, 154, 479, 482) or even for invitingmore than one interpretation (p. 493). Karlaufquotes some lesser-known poems aswell as famousstanzasor linesand hails them as beautiful. But the readerwould have hoped fora statement about their substance (pp. 270, 271, 449); even a poem thatKarlauf labels essential receives not one lineofcommentary (p.393). Most of theciteddocuments havepreviously been published, andmost of the unpublished sources providecolourrather thancontroversy. YetKarlaufclaimsto reveala secret:theabsenceof 'asecret'inthe Georgecircle. Karlaufpresumesthat whatGeorge referred toas the mysteries of life was really his sexualdesires.The book startswith a chapter on how an obsessive and ruthless George courted the young Hofmannsthal. Karlauf suggests that this episode sets up thematrix for later encounters. Hence,he reducesthesubtlety andcomplexity ofDer Stern desBundes tothestatement thatthese poemswere 'der ungeheuerliche Versuch, diePaderastie [... ] zur hochsten geistigen Daseinsform zu erklaren' (p. 394). This harsh verdict not theonlyone of itskind-does notnecessarily follow evenfrom Karlauf'sown careful depictions ofGeorge's interactions withyounger men.Karlaufis,atother 252 Reviews points,readytosaythat Georgewas not interested insexual intercourse (p. 388) and thathis circle cherished companionship as a goal in itsown right (p. 405). But Karlauf'susageof the Englishterms'cruising' (p.212) and 'outing' (p.332) andhis equationof 'verdrangt' and 'vergeistigt' (p.356) areinappropriate. Theyform partof a strategy todepict Georgeasmercurialand irresponsible. Karlaufassertsthat some ofGeorge'srelationships weresuccessful onlybecausehisfriends acknowledged his superiority (p.283),anassertion that he later withdraws(p.446).Karlaufdeniesthat ex-members of thecirclearerecognized in George'spoems,or that George'spoetry was of fundamental importance forthecoherence of thecircle;andhe condemns poetry'saimingfora constructive rolein interpersonal relationships as 'sectarian' (p.157).Karlaufdoesnotdifferentiate betweenpedagogical, erotic, and sexualin terests; thisleadsto methodically unsoundarguments: didGeorge really propagate Platobecausehe provideda coverfor homosexuals(p.260)?KarlaufquotesOscar Wilde's complaintthatthepedagogicalEros ismisunderstoodby contemporary society-but makes no effort toremedy thissituation. Anydiscussionof therela tionship between George'spoetryandpersonality would rely on suchan attempt. George'spoliticalviewsarenot thefocusofKarlauf'sbiography, andhistorical contextisvirtually absent. Butonemighthavehoped that Karlauf would elaborate on questionssuchas: how couldGeorge simultaneously retreat fromthepublic and developan ideology ofaction?IsGeorge responsible for Nazi interpretations of his works (p. 510) or not (p. 579)? Karlauf claims that after 1945 George's poetic interpretation ofGerman tradition 'disappeared forever in theabyssofhis tory'(p.639)-a statement thatinvoluntarily summarizes Karlauf'sunsatisfactorily ahistorical approachtohis subject. DUKE UNIVERSITY CHRISTOPHE FRICKER A Companion to the WorksofRobert Musil. Ed. by PHILIP PAYNE, GRAHAM BARTRAM, andGALINTIHANOV. (StudiesinGermanLiterature, Linguistics andCulture)Rochester, NY: CamdenHouse. 2007. xx+448 pp. $90; ?50. ISBN 978-1-57113-110-2. ThisCompaniondeservesits name.Itisnomerecollection ofessays, buta carefully composedintroductory volume whichshouldbeofgreat value toanyone approach ing Musil's work. Itscontributors, who aredrawnfromthe world's leading Musil scholars, offer many originalinsights whichwill enlighten even those who think they knowthis authorthoroughly. After a long biographical introduction byPhilipPayne, who...