On Translating Ernst Jünger’s The Adventurous Heart: An Interview with Thomas Friese

Ernst Jünger’s The Adventurous Heart: Figures and Capriccios is now available for the first time in English translation from Telos Press. Maxwell Woods spoke with the book’s translator, Thomas Friese, about the challenges of translating Jünger into English as well as the increasing relevance of the author’s writings to our current social and political landscape. Purchase your copy of The Adventurous Heart here.

Maxwell Woods: In your preface to The Adventurous Heart, by Ernst Jünger, you write that “this book hooked me on the author for life.” What is it about this particular book that you found so captivating? Do you find yourself returning to this book in your studies of Jünger? Of Jünger’s work does this book hold a special place for you?

Thomas Friese: First impressions obviously have special value, and The Adventurous Heart was my first encounter with Jünger. It was an ideal start, since this book is a concise introduction to the worldview of the mature author. Ideally, all new readers would come to Jünger via this book—there are certainly worse ways, which are unfortunately also more common—i.e., through Der Arbeiter or Storms of Steel, or, worse still, through clichéd second-hand opinions.

Continue reading →

New Review of Ernst Jünger’s The Adventurous Heart

The following review of Ernst Jünger’s The Adventurous Heart: Figures and Capriccios appeared in the November edition of The Midwest Book Review‘s Small Press Bookwatch.

Psychology is the study of human thought and processes, and all around the world people have brought different perspectives together for a better and more complete understanding of it all. The Adventurous Heart: Figures and Capriccios is an English translation of the 1938 German psychological writer Ernst Jünger who wrote on his perspective of the mind and what we seek in life, touching on the nature of intuition. Revered throughout the literary and psychological international communities, The Adventurous Heart is a strong read for those who want a better understanding of the man who saw much in his time of turmoil.

Ernst Jünger’s The Adventurous Heart is available for purchase here.

Continue reading →