Should I Read Ernst Jünger?

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Clarissa

June 20, 2026

Anybody here read Ernst Jünger? He was one of Rafael Chirbes’s favorite writers and one of his main literary influences. I do everything I can to avoid reading about the World Wars, but if it’s really worth it from the literary point of view, I do it.

It’s interesting that Chirbes saw himself as very left-wing his whole life, but all of his favorite authors were of deeply conservative sensibilities. It makes sense because I wouldn’t be interested in spending so much time on a standard leftist prattler, but it goes to show that self-awareness is the rarest of gifts.

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4 responses to “Should I Read Ernst Jünger?”

Avi

June 22, 2026

From Wikipedia: “He wrote against liberal values, democracy, and the Weimar Republic, but rejected the advances of the Nazis who were rising to power.“

That’s good enough, but I suspect that Chirbes had a very strong stomach, and not only as a reader, which I do not.

Jünger’s collected works run to eighteen volumes, mostly non-fiction (48 titles), but there is also a five-volume edition of selected works, including his six novels.

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1. Clarissa
  
  June 22, 2026
  
  The important factor is whether the writing has artistic value, not whether the author expressed “correct” ideas. Chirbes himself was a Maoist in his youth who spent time in jail for his subversive activities. So what? It’s not about his opinions, but the quality of the writing.
  
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Avi

June 22, 2026

Oh, I totally agree: the quality of the writing, that which makes the writing literature, is not the most important thing, it’s the only thing that matters.

I’m afraid the wording of my comment lent itself to misinterpretation because of an unintended ellipsis: when I discover an author I generally aim to read everything he or she has written, including the most obscure and often not so relevant works. From what I understand of Jünger’s opus there is a lot that seems quite tedious and at my age I should not embark on an 18-volume opera omnia.

But then you are such a fast and dedicated reader that you might be able to get through his six novels in a relatively short time and, who knows, you might unearth some unexpected gem which I trust you will share with the faithful readers of this blog.

I’m finishing La llamada and you were right, it’s wonderful and not at all overrated.

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1. Clarissa
  
  June 22, 2026
  
  In La llamada, I particularly like the figure of the Lacanian psychoanalyst who has spent his whole life panting after a woman who even has his mother’s name. It’s really funny.
  
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