On Stories / Edition 1

by Richard Kearney

Overview

Stories offer us some of the richest and most enduring insights into the human condition and have preoccupied philosophy since Aristotle. On Stories presents in clear and compelling style just why narrative has this power over us and argues that the unnarrated life is not worth living. Drawing on the work of James Joyce, Sigmund Freud's patient 'Dora' and the case of Oscar Schindler, Richard Kearney skilfully illuminates how stories not only entertain us but can determine our lives and personal identities. He also considers nations as stories, including the story of Romulus and Remus in the founding of Rome. Throughout, On Stories stresses that, far from heralding the demise of narrative, the digital era merely opens up new stories.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415247986
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	10/18/2001
Series:	Thinking in Action
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	946,124
Product dimensions:	5.06(w) x 7.81(h) x (d)

About the Author

Richard Kearney, Department Of Philosophy, Dublin University.

Table of Contents

Where do Stories Come From? Part One 1 Where do Stories Come From? Three Case Histories: Daedalus, Dora, Schindler Part Two 2 From History to Story: The Case of Stephen Daedalus 3Whose Story is it Anyway? The Case of Dora 4 Testifying to History: The Case of Schindler 5 The Paradox of Testimony National Narratives: Rome, Britain, America Part Three 6 Introduction 7 Roman Foundation Myths: Aeneas and Romulus 8Britain and Ireland: A Tale of Siamese Twins 9 America and its ‘Others’: Frontier Stories 10 Conclusion: Border Crossings Narrative Matters Part Four 11 Narrative Matters

Editorial Reviews

'Like the best philosophy, and the best intellectual history, this is serious stuff dealt with a light hand.' - Roy Foster, The Guardian

'[Richard Kearney's] argument that appreciating story is an essential part of being human is strong and true.' - The Guardian

'Like the best philosophy, and the best intellectual history, this is serious stuff dealt with a light hand.' - Roy Foster, The Guardian

'Kearney's chief virtue has always been pedagogical, as a gifted storyteller of ideas, and this work is no exception. The first and final parts are exemplary in this respect, providing a concise and morally robust defence of the importance of structured narratives for the way we make sense of our past, present and future ' - Michael Cronin, The Irish Times

'A paean to storytelling...The voice is clear, humane and level-headed. Kearney serves as an guide through this brief history of the ways stories have worked, for better or for worse, in our lives.' - Molly McLoskey, The Sunday Tribune

From the Publisher