As the title of the present work suggests, the scope here is quite vast, with coverage ranging in date from the eighth century through the end of the Second World War. A chronology of important dates in and a lengthy introductory essay on the history of German literature precede the alphabetically arranged entries. The dictionary concludes with a substantial bibliography arranged by historical period and individual author. The entries themselves introduce authors; individual literary works; literary genres (e.g., Bildungsroman, Shrovetide plays); and literary movements (e.g., Expressionism, Storm and stress)....Appropriate for academic and large public libraries.