E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776–1822) was one of the best known and most influential authors of his time. Phantasiestücke, his earliest collection of tales, appeared in 1814. This was followed three years later by Nachstücke and then in 1819–21 by Die Serapoins brüder. Among his longer works is his second and final novel, Die Lebensansichten des Katers Murr (The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr), which represents the highpoint of his art. He exploited the grotesque and the bizarre in a manner unmatched by any other Romantic writer.
