Ricarda Huch's books on the "Blossom Time" and "Spread and Decline" of Romanticism, which we compile in one volume, are a groundbreaking work: In a manner that transcends disciplines in the best sense, she portrays not only the poets and artists but also the early natural scientists, physicians, theologians, and politicians - as well as the previously neglected figures: the women, friends, and companions of the famous protagonists. In 35 chapters, Ricarda Huch writes in her brilliant, clear style about the biography of an idea that defined the era, leaving no doubt as to why it remains a central reference point in literature to this day. For Karl Heinz Bohrer, Ricarda Huch's books on Romanticism have paved the way for a specifically modern understanding of the period, while for Marcel Reich-Ranicki, they are a fundamental cultural-historical document.