The Time Machine and the Domaine: Origins and Functions of Imaginative Literature

Why have so many cultures created what we call imaginative literature in the past, and still do? What prompts so many people to read literature? And how are we to understand the economy that links these producers and consumers? These and related questions plagued the author for a couple of decades before he began to set down the results of his research into the roles and functions that creative writing has had in various societies. More and more, the evidence seemed to point towards our feelings about the effects of time on our lives, and our memories of special places that enchanted or changed us. He illustrates his findings by examining a wide range of literary artifacts.

Richard Bevis was born in New York City and studied literature in California before teaching at the American University of Beirut and the University of British Columbia, where he retired as an Emeritus Professor of English. He has published several books and articles on eighteenth-century English comedy, a bibliography of travel books on the Middle East by foreigners, and two books on his own travels. Besides writing, his interests include reading, music, flying, and kayaking. He lives in Vancouver, BC, and is working on a novel. He follows the news and developments in space travel with keen interest, but will not accept a ride with Elon Musk.