Synopsis
In this mischievous book, literature professor Bayard contends that, in this age of infinite publication, the truly cultivated person is not the one who has read a book but the one who understands the book's place in our culture. Using examples from works by Graham Greene, Umberto Eco, and others (and even the movie Groundhog Day), Bayard examines the many kinds of "non-reading" (forgotten books, books discussed by others, books we've skimmed briefly) and the many potentially nightmarish situations in which we are called upon to discuss our reading with others. At heart, this delightfully tongue-in-cheek book challenges everyone who's ever felt guilty about missing some of the great books to consider what reading means, how we absorb books as part of ourselves, and why we spend so much time talking about what we have, or haven't, read.
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About the Author
PIERRE BAYARD is a professor of French literature at the University of Paris VIII and a psychoanalyst. He is the author of Who Killed Roger Ackroyd? and of many other books. Jeffrey Mehlman is a professor of French at Boston University and the author of a number of books, including Emigré New York. He has translated works by Derrida, Lacan, Blanchot, and other authors.
Review
"It may well be that too many books are published, but by good fortune, not all must be read.... A survivor's guide to life in the chattering classes...evidently much in need." --New York Times
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How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read
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Paperback. Pierre Bayard, Granta Books. In this mischievous book, literature professor Bayard contends that in this age of infinite publication, the truly cultivated person is not the one who has read a book, but the one who understands the book's place in our culture. Using examples from works by Graham Greene, Umberto Eco, Paul Valery, and many others (and even the movie Groundhog Day), Bayard examines the many kinds of 'non-reading' (forgotten books, unknown books, books discussed by others, books we've skimmed briefly) and the many potentially nightmarish situations in which we are called upon to discuss our reading with others (in class, with our loved ones, with the book's author etc). At heart, this delightfully tongue-in-cheek book challenges everyone who's ever felt guilty about missing some of the Great Books, to consider what reading means, how we absorb books as part of ourselves, and how and why we spend so much time talking about what we have or haven't, read. Paperback. Seller Inventory # 9781847080264-SECONDHAND
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