Modern Themes

“Existences”and “Only a Waitress”, the two stories in Modern Themes, are pioneering works in the history of the literary movement of Naturalism in Germany. This translation, the first in English, make these absorbing stories available once again. Readers may now judge for themselves how penetrating the early observational powers of Mackay really were. Written before Mackey’s discovery of the writings of Max Stirner, they clearly show how prepared he was to receive the views of Stirner. Mackay was already seeing reality with a clear eye and judging it with an understanding mind. But these novellas remain unique among his works and new readers will enjoy discovering yet another side to the many talents of John Henry Mackay.