A chronologically arranged selection featuring the most important representatives of German literature who cultivated the aphorism as a distinct art form, showcasing their masterful creations: from Lichtenberg and Goethe to Nietzsche, Karl Kraus, Handke, Botho Strauss, and Martin Walser. The editor, Friedemann Spicker, has been researching aphoristics for years. This edition was published in 2010 under the title "Es lebt der Mensch, solang er irrt" as a hardcover; it is now being released in the Universal Library with a new afterword and detailed bibliographical information.