Enlightenment

Leipzig in the 18th century, in its most brilliant period. Merchants carry not only goods but also ideas to the whole of Europe from the fairs. Johann Sebastian Bach surveys the universe in musical notes, assisted by his wife, the singer Anna Magdalena, and his eldest daughter Dorothea. Meanwhile, Johann Christoph and Luise Gottsched are exploring the German language and tirelessly spread the light of the Enlightenment. Outraged by the biography published by Johann Christoph after the early death of his wife, Dorothea Bach decides to put her own memoirs to paper. That was not how things happened with Voltaire, Lessing and the young Goethe! After all, we are living in the age of the »highly educated gentlewoman«!

With ease and hilarity, Angela Steidele paints a witty portrait of the Enlightenment from a woman’s point of view. Her novel tells of musicians and printers, poets and actresses, of turbulence of the mind, scientific flights of fancy and of world wisdom in music. Historically versed, with our present in mind, she describes the fateful years of an epoch in which it seemed possible, for a short while, that women and men together could make the world see reason.

»Angela Steidele’s novel Enlightenment lives up to its title. ... A wealth of research has gone into this book, which one senses at all times, but not as an educational narrative, but as a pleasurable fantasy of how things could have been.« Andreas Platthaus, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

»Steidele’s novel is as profound and entertaining as the music of Johann Sebastian Bach ... With sharp wit and sovereign irony, Angela Steidele revives an entire era from a woman’s point of view in the most entertaining way. Irresistible!« Denis Scheck, Der Tagesspiegel

»The ideas of democracy and freedom rooted in the Enlightenment are narratively supplemented by the value of equality, which was only gradually emerging at the time. The author thus raises the Enlightenment to a new level, that of the discursive state of the present.« Björn Hayer, der Freitag

»An opulent tableau of skilfully placed historical facts and poetic imagination, which Angela Steidele sets in motion with a brilliant sense of scenery and the wit of a language that is completely contemporary but plays with the peculiarities of the 18th century.« From the jury statement of the Dieter-Wellershoff-Stipendium 2021

»[Steidele] succeeds in creating short, trenchant character sketches without getting embarrassingly close to the historical personnel. She has also found a form of expression that is pleasantly free of mannerisms, neither pandering to the 18th century nor to the present.« Kristina Maidt-Zinke, Süddeutsche Zeitung

»This historical novel that celebrates and pursues the Enlightenment, is a novel for our times.« Martin Oehlen, Frankfurter Rundschau

»[Angela Steidele] processes some of her material in dialogues, while reflecting on the process of narration. In this way, theories that were previously regarded as generally valid are burst open. ... [This book] proves how enlightening it can be to track down historical sources and convey them to an interested audience.« Sabine Scholl, Der Standard

»In her novel Enlightenment, Angela Steidele has captured the spirit of new intellectual beginnings surrounding the Bach family and their educated middle-class environment in Leipzig in a multi-faceted and true-to-life way.« Jan Sting, Kölnische Rundschau

»Angela Steidele‘s novel examines the promise of happiness of an entire epoch, with a focus on educated women. An enlightening and mischievous tableau that strikes very contemporary chords.« Angela Gutzeit, Deutschlandfunk

»This is a novel that directly addresses our present – and that is also what makes it such an enjoyable read.« Denis Scheck, SWR2

»... a wonderfully opulent panorama of the history of music and philosophy ... With meticulous research and delightful wit, Angela Steidele leads us into and through the story with pointed dialogues and a great knowledge of music.« Katrin Schumacher, 3sat

»an entertaining and enlightening read ... Pure reading pleasure!« Dorothea Hußlein, BR