Books by Frederick C. Beiser

Frederick C. Beiser, The German Historicist Tradition .  Lengthy and dense, but full of good material and written with extreme indeed almost unbelievable clarity.  The historicists are these days the underdiscussed approach in the history of German thought.  Have you ever wondered why Justus Möser was important, and why he focused on the history of Osnabrück?  Or how Leopold Ranke saw his work as an answer to Hegel?  How about the difference between Dilthey and Rickert?  If nothing else, this bo...

4. The Early Political Writings of the German Romantics , edited by Frederick C. Beiser, but basically Novalis, Schlegel, and a bit of Schleiermacher.  In particular I was surprised how well the Novalis has held up: insightful, to the point, and laying out the aesthetic approach to politics (and more) with a stark and memorable clarity.  If you are looking for something to read that is non-liberal, but not the tiresome version of non-liberal being beat to death these days, maybe try this book.