Readings at the Edge of Literature

By: Myra Jehlen

Write A Review

Hardcover | 1 June 2002 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Hardcover
246 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.15 x 16.03 x 1.96

Hardcover

$264.99

or 4 interest-free payments of $66.25 with

Ships in 5 to 10 business days

Myra Jehlen's aim in these essays is to read for what she calls the edge of literature: the point at which writing seems unable to say more, which is also, for Jehlen, the threshold of the real. It is here, she argues, that the central paradoxes of the American project become clear--self-reliance and responsibility, universal equality and the pursuit of empire, writing from the heart and representing shared values and ideas. Developing these paradoxes to their utmost tension, American writers often produce penetrating critiques of American society without puncturing its basic myths. For instance, Mark Twain's "Puddn'head Wilson" begins as a slashing satire of racism, only to conclude by demonstrating that even an invisible portion of black blood can make a man a murderer.
Throughout these essays Jehlen demonstrates the crucial role that the process of writing itself plays in unfolding these paradoxes, whether in the form of novels by Harriet Beecher Stowe and Virginia Woolf; the histories of Captain John Smith; or even a work of architecture, such as the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao.

Industry Reviews

"Readings at the Edge of Literature explores the contradictions that emerge whenever the ideal called America tries to identify itself in our literature. This collection is alert and alive, full of intellectual energy, stunning perceptions, and analytical brilliance." - Richard Poirier, author of Trying It Out in America: Literary and Other Performances

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Society & Culture Social Groups Gender Studies Gender Studies: Women and Girls Literature, Poetry & Plays History & Criticism of Literature Literary Theory General Literary Studies Miscellaneous Items

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Introduction	p. 1
"Imitate Jesus and Socrates" The Making of a Good American	p. 13
J. Hector St. John Crevecoeur: A Monarcho-Anarchist in Revolutionary America	p. 32
The Novel and the Middle Class in America	p. 50
The Family Militant: Domesticity versus Slavery in Uncle Tom's Cabin	p. 68
Banned in Concord: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Classic American Literature	p. 84
The Ties that Bind: Race and Sex in Puddn'head Wilson	p. 106
Archimedes and the Paradox of Feminist Criticism	p. 122
Why Did the European Cross the Ocean?	p. 149
History before the Fact: The Underdetermined John Smith	p. 164
History beside the Fact: What We Learn from A True and Exact History of Barbadoes	p. 179
An Empire of One's Own: Virginia Woolf's The Voyage Out	p. 192
Guggenheim in Bilbao	p. 204
Notes	p. 229
Index	p. 241
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved.

Readings at the Edge of Literature

At a Glance

Hardcover

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

More in Society & Culture

Looking from the North

Australian history from the top down

Hooked

Inside the murky world of Australia's gambling industry

See What You Made Me Do

Power, Control and Domestic Abuse: Updated Edition

How to Dress for Old Age

Soft Serve

Industrial Light & Magic

50 Years of Innovation

The Definitive Guide to Horror Movies

Horror Essentials

Meltdown

An insightful, sympathetic and reassuring look at the dangerous but hot topic of mum rage for readers of Brene Brown and Jamila Rizvi

The Kids' Guide to Speaking Your Mind Without Losing Your Cool

The Art of Witch Hat Atelier

Broken Country

AMAZON'S BOOK OF THE YEAR - THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER

The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective

Goddess with a Thousand Faces

A one-of-a-kind exploration of goddesses from our ancient past

The Importance of Being Miserable

A short history of human happiness, and why sometimes it's good to feel bad

How to Date like a Dangerous Woman

An insightful and empowering guide to love, confidence and independence from Australia's top dating expert

Saoirse

The Work, Life, and Style of Saoirse Ronan

Death by Comfort

How modern life is killing us and what we can do about it

Aboriginal Peoples and Terrestrial Invertebrates in Australia

Historical and Cultural Relationships

The Fourth Turning

An American Prophecy: What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny

A Voyage Around the Queen

Trans Lives

The Strange Death of Europe

Immigration, Identity, Islam

Dark Emu

Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture

Prisoners of Geography

Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics

This product is categorised by