Faust: My Soul Be Damned for the World, Vol. 1

By: E.A. Bucchianeri
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Publication Date: September 2008 
ISBN-13: 978-1434390608 
Reviewed by: Michael Feld 
Review Date: January 22, 2009 

Faust: My Soul Be Damned for the World, Volume I by E.A. Bucchianeri is a painstakingly researched investigation into the life and times of the historical Faust. Bucchianeri gives the modern reader, typically one only familiar with the Goethe’s legendary character, a detailed picture of the education, career and ultimate doom of the actual Faust; Georg Helmstetter.

Faust: My Soul Be Damned for the World, Volume I is a scholarly work replete with supporting historical documentation, commentary (especially by Frank Baron) and gives the reader a proper understanding of the religious and political climate of the mid 15th to mid 16th centuries of Europe in which the “real” Faust lived. After setting the historical context of Faust, Bucchianeri traces the development of the legendary Faust. Relying on such sources as the “Wolfenbüttel Manuscript” the author recounts how, using knowledge gained from his pact with Mephistopheles, Faust travels Europe providing divinations, horoscopes, and other occult services to his patrons. Of particular note is the recognition Buccianeri gives the invention of the printing press and its effect on the rapid spread of Faustian mythos.

Faust: My Soul Be Damned for the World, Volume I by E.A. Bucchianeri is not an easy read; the meticulous historical research requires close attention. The reader will however, gain a deeper understanding not only of the character of Faust himself, but also an appreciation of the process whereby historical fact becomes myth.

Quill says: For those interested in a deeper understanding of Faust, Bucchianeri ‘s Faust is a must read.

For more information on Faust: My Soul Be Damned for the World, Vol. 1, please visit the author's website at: greatbooks.bravehost.com