This book is a good supplement to students who want to further their reading and comprehension skills in German. However, I would caution that most of the stories, while there are few exceptions, are extremely long and comprise of several (5-8 approx.) pages. Most of them are not brief "short stories," but rather extended passages that depict in depth, vivid accounts of German culture. On the other hand, the variety in authors of the stories in this compilation is definitely an advantage. The works are spread out by different authors who lived in different time periods, from a piece by Goethe to that of Kafka. Also, there is some biographical info that is included to inform the student of the authors and why their work was significant. So there is never any feeling that one is reading some worthless and mindless piece of literature. So, for those who are serious about truly learning and understanding the German language, even appreciating its literature, this book is a good help and is worth looking at.

The Suffering of Young Werther is a sad tale of young Werther's love for Lotte, told through letters to his friend Wilhelm. Lotte is promised to marry another man and Goethe relates the tale of their turbulent relationship. A classic example of romantic literature, Werther demonstrates violent emotions, often displaying passion and fury as if he were bipolar. Werther often depicts reality, or nature, as an extension of the way he feels towards toward Lotte. This novel is an excellent example of romanticism. I would not recommend it for those who think logically and analytically, or those who do not like dark imagery or to be depressed by a novel. However, if you are inspired by intensity, believe passionately about an ideal or rebel against the confines of mathematical reasoning, read Goethe's The Sufferings of Young Werther.

This book is an absolute must for anybody who wants to understand the spirit of the romantic era and the "Sturm und Drang" time. The feelings and emotions are driven to their limits, what lies in all of us is expressed unrestrictedly. The translator does NOT use the old English style (which some other translators inappropriately do), so he sucessfully comes very close to the German original.
Read it! You may discover how human you are!

a suicide and the love that precludes, defines, and concludes the life of a man. it's hard to describe a book of this magnitude, as it's likely that everyone who reads it will release different thoughts and emotions. definitely a human novel.