Walter Benjamin: A Very Short Introduction

Author/Contributor(s):	Zaretsky, Eli
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Date:	06/01/2026
Binding:	Paperback
Condition:	NEW

Walter Benjamin (1892-1940) is now generally recognized as one of the most influential thinkers of the last century. This Very Short Introduction explores his extraordinary life and thought. His complex system of criticism is difficult for many readers, but it is coherent in its combination of a Judaic theological perspective with cultural Marxism. Benjamin's distinctive approach considered literary criticism, visual media, and the impact of cosmopolitanism. This innovative messianic understanding of history would go on to inspire countless critics and even entire schools of academia.