How did Denmark, shaken to its core by doubt and misfortune as the 20th century began, rise to assume its pre-eminent place in the modern social-democratic imaginary? A monumental work of scholarly synthesis that is also inspired by the New Historical eye for the glittering fragment, Anne-Marie Mai's history of modern Danish literature is also a history of Denmark itself as it is captured in the ever-surprising innovations of its artists. -- Bruce Robbins, Old Dominion Foundation Professor in the Humanities, Department of English and Comparative Literature, Columbia University. True to form, Anne-Marie Mai weaves a rich and complex tapestry that allows international readers to navigate the complex cultural and historical backdrop of modern Danish literature. A truly staggering amount of material is presented with verve, precision and deep scholarly insights; a brilliant distillation of a large corpus of works covering more than a century of modern Danish literature. Karin Sanders, Professor, Acting Dept. Chair, Department of Scandinavian, UC Berkeley.