German Writing, American Reading

Set in postbellum America, the book explores the significant impact of German women's fiction on American readers from 1866 to 1917. It highlights how nearly 100 original texts and over 180 translations, primarily by American women, transformed these novels through adaptation and marketing. This cultural exchange not only introduced themes of adventure and domestic bliss but also reshaped perceptions of German culture. The translated works promised readers fulfilling narratives that blended sentiment with the allure of an idealized Germany, enriching the American literary landscape.