Except When I Write: Reflections of a Recovering Critic
Except When I Write: Reflections of a Recovering Critic is a book of literary essays, which means something both specific and indefinable. From Montaigne to Hazlitt to Orwell, the literary essay has accommodated the critical and the conversational styles, perhaps reaching its apex in terms of influence with the works of T. S. Eliot and Lionel Trilling. But with the advent of the theoretical style in the latter part of the 20th century, the literary essay fell into disuse, replaced by the more jargon-ridden discourse of critical theory. It now appears, however, to be making a comeback. But either because of a cyclical reaction to theory-minded criticism or because internet blogging has turned every typist into a critic, the essay that relies on readers' shared familiarity with books often seems too personal, too casual, too biased. If this collection offers one lesson to the reader, it is that the literary essay remains at the service of its subjects rather than some presumed audience. As such, it conveys respect through a voice that sounds as though it has loved, lived with, and reflected on books. Whether the subject is Jacques Barzun or Jacques Derrida, the voice should be companionable without being forward, engaged without being didactic, erudite without being stuffy--and it should give us the flow and cadence of someone actually thinking. Literature may be the bedrock on which these essays rest, but as F. R. Leavis aptly surmised, "One cannot seriously be interested in literature and remain purely literary in interests."
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Except When I Write: Reflections of a Recovering Critic is a book of literary essays, which means something both specific and indefinable. From Montaigne to Hazlitt to Orwell, the literary essay has accommodated the critical and the conversational styles, perhaps reaching its apex in terms of influence with the works of T. S. Eliot and Lionel Trilling. But with the advent of the theoretical style in the latter part of the 20th century, the literary essay fell into disuse, replaced by the more jargon-ridden discourse of critical theory. It now appears, however, to be making a comeback. But either because of a cyclical reaction to theory-minded criticism or because internet blogging has turned every typist into a critic, the essay that relies on readers' shared familiarity with books often seems too personal, too casual, too biased. If this collection offers one lesson to the reader, it is that the literary essay remains at the service of its subjects rather than some presumed audience. As such, it conveys respect through a voice that sounds as though it has loved, lived with, and reflected on books. Whether the subject is Jacques Barzun or Jacques Derrida, the voice should be companionable without being forward, engaged without being didactic, erudite without being stuffy--and it should give us the flow and cadence of someone actually thinking. Literature may be the bedrock on which these essays rest, but as F. R. Leavis aptly surmised, "One cannot seriously be interested in literature and remain purely literary in interests."
Except When I Write: Reflections of a Recovering Critic
Except When I Write: Reflections of a Recovering Critic is a book of literary essays, which means something both specific and indefinable. From Montaigne to Hazlitt to Orwell, the literary essay has accommodated the critical and the conversational styles, perhaps reaching its apex in terms of influence with the works of T. S. Eliot and Lionel Trilling. But with the advent of the theoretical style in the latter part of the 20th century, the literary essay fell into disuse, replaced by the more jargon-ridden discourse of critical theory. It now appears, however, to be making a comeback. But either because of a cyclical reaction to theory-minded criticism or because internet blogging has turned every typist into a critic, the essay that relies on readers' shared familiarity with books often seems too personal, too casual, too biased. If this collection offers one lesson to the reader, it is that the literary essay remains at the service of its subjects rather than some presumed audience. As such, it conveys respect through a voice that sounds as though it has loved, lived with, and reflected on books. Whether the subject is Jacques Barzun or Jacques Derrida, the voice should be companionable without being forward, engaged without being didactic, erudite without being stuffy--and it should give us the flow and cadence of someone actually thinking. Literature may be the bedrock on which these essays rest, but as F. R. Leavis aptly surmised, "One cannot seriously be interested in literature and remain purely literary in interests."
Except When I Write: Reflections of a Recovering Critic is a book of literary essays, which means something both specific and indefinable. From Montaigne to Hazlitt to Orwell, the literary essay has accommodated the critical and the conversational styles, perhaps reaching its apex in terms of influence with the works of T. S. Eliot and Lionel Trilling. But with the advent of the theoretical style in the latter part of the 20th century, the literary essay fell into disuse, replaced by the more jargon-ridden discourse of critical theory. It now appears, however, to be making a comeback. But either because of a cyclical reaction to theory-minded criticism or because internet blogging has turned every typist into a critic, the essay that relies on readers' shared familiarity with books often seems too personal, too casual, too biased. If this collection offers one lesson to the reader, it is that the literary essay remains at the service of its subjects rather than some presumed audience. As such, it conveys respect through a voice that sounds as though it has loved, lived with, and reflected on books. Whether the subject is Jacques Barzun or Jacques Derrida, the voice should be companionable without being forward, engaged without being didactic, erudite without being stuffy--and it should give us the flow and cadence of someone actually thinking. Literature may be the bedrock on which these essays rest, but as F. R. Leavis aptly surmised, "One cannot seriously be interested in literature and remain purely literary in interests."
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Except When I Write: Reflections of a Recovering Critic
214
Except When I Write: Reflections of a Recovering Critic
214
57.0
In Stock
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780199782406 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
| Publication date: | 07/01/2011 |
| Pages: | 214 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.70(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.90(d) |
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