SIXTY-NINE YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH, the reputation of Walter Benjamin as a leading cultural critic, literary scholar, and philosopher of the twentieth century has been firmly established on a global scale. And yet his canonicity, lest it be relegated to the safe havens of the cultural archive, requires that we reread him in the changing context of our times, ask new questions of his texts, and interrogate him critically. To this end, the Companion to the Works of Walter Benjamin seeks to offer an advanced introduction to his major works and their recurrent themes while probing into his relevance for today from a variety of innovative perspectives, critical approaches, and interdisciplinary positions.

I have been very fortunate to work with an excellent team of international scholars, and I thank them for their contributions. Special thanks go to Wolfgang Bock and Dominik Finkelde, who checked the introduction and made valuable suggestions. Karl Ivan Solibakke kindly provided an excellent translation of Bernd Witte's essay and assisted with the editorial work. Last but not least, I wish to express my gratitude to Camden House's Editorial Director, Jim Walker, who responded enthusiastically to my plans for editing this volume and who guided the production process with exemplary patience, encouragement, and wisdom. I also wish to acknowledge the support of The University of Alabama in Huntsville, which granted me a sabbatical leave during the spring semester 2008 so that I could complete the Companion.