"This comprehensive and sophisticated work could easily serve as a textbook for an ambitious . . . college course on nineteenth-century intellectual history. Comfortable discussing Edward Said, Theodor Adorno, Sanskrit, clssical music, fairy tales, revolutionary politics, Biblical studies, Greek and Nordic deities, Williamson weaves a rich tapestry that details the breadth of intellectual life in Germany."

David Imhoof | German History

"A finely researched, lucidly composed, and highly engaging work of intellectual history. Both students and seasoned scholars will learn something from every chapter, gaining new insights into material that seemed familiar. . . . Williamson succeeds admirably in his endeavour to resuscitate myth as a central concern for Germany in the nineteenth century, and he connects it convincingly with the religious and aesthetic culture of that era."

Robert C. Holub | MLR

"From Schelling andf Friedrich Schlegel to Wagner and Nietzsche, Williamson travels a long, difficult road. Along the way, he expertly puts his discussion into intellectual contexts. . . . There is no match for the clarity, competence, insight, and ultimately patience evinced in this important history of the discourse of myth in nineteenth-century Germany."

Peter Fritzsche | Journal of Modern History

"Williamson has presented the scholarly expert as well as the inquiring lay person with a thoughtful, comprehensive, and inspiring study. . . . The scholarship is thorough and impressive, and the reading is smooth. His book should soon become required reading for anyone interested in the subject of myth, in religious debates in Germany, and in nineteenth-century German culture in general."

Anke Finger | Southern Humanities Review

"The subtlety and range of Williamson’s study makes it essential reading for cultural historians of modern Germany."

Matthew Levinger | Central European History