Robert Musil (1880-1942), author of The Man without Qualities, is one of the handful of most important writers of the twentieth century. Among Anglophone readers Musil has enjoyed a dedicated cult following, but until recently poor translations and radical misunderstandings of his aims and techniques have retarded the full appreciation of his genius.

Hannah Hickman’s compact survey of Musil’s work and influences has won recognition as the only adequate introduction to its subject. Hickman has taken advantage of a wealth of recently available evidence to give a reliable account of this often baffling and immensely subtle writer.