Present Containing Books Illuminations: Essays and Reflections
| Title | : | Illuminations: Essays and Reflections |
| Author | : | Walter Benjamin |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | First Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 288 pages |
| Published | : | January 13th 1969 by Schocken |
| Categories | : | Philosophy. Writing. Essays. Nonfiction. Theory. Art. Criticism. Literary Criticism |
Walter Benjamin
Paperback | Pages: 288 pages Rating: 4.29 | 9816 Users | 224 Reviews
Description Concering Books Illuminations: Essays and Reflections
Studies on contemporary art and culture by one of the most original, critical and analytical minds of this century. Illuminations includes Benjamin's views on Kafka, with whom he felt the closest personal affinity, his studies on Baudelaire and Proust (both of whom he translated), his essays on Leskov and on Brecht's Epic Theater. Also included are his penetrating study on "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," an illuminating discussion of translation as a literary mode, and his thesis on the philosophy of history. Hannah Arendt selected the essays for this volume and prefaces them with a substantial, admirably informed introduction that presents Benjamin's personality and intellectual development, as well as his work and his life in dark times. Reflections the companion volume to this book, is also available as a Schocken paperback. Unpacking My Library, 1931 The Task of the Translator, 1913 The Storyteller, 1936 Franz Kafka, 1934 Some Reflections on Kafka, 1938 What Is Epic Theater?, 1939 On Some Motifs in Baudelaire, 1939 The Image of Proust, 1929 The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, 1936 Theses on the Philosophy of History, written 1940, pub. 1950Point Books Supposing Illuminations: Essays and Reflections
| Original Title: | Illuminationen |
| ISBN: | 0805202412 (ISBN13: 9780805202410) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Rating Containing Books Illuminations: Essays and Reflections
Ratings: 4.29 From 9816 Users | 224 ReviewsAppraise Containing Books Illuminations: Essays and Reflections
SentimentalityI still talk about "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" 30 years after I first read it.I don't remember it as a purely political tract, even though that is how it is all dressed up.I think Benjamin displayed some degree of sentimentality and attachment to the original work of art. Its uniqueness, its cult value, its authenticity, its ability to "illuminate".Ironically, the way that we relate to mechanically reproduced books now replicates this sentimentality,I read this set of essays primarily for "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction". The lengthy introduction by Hannah Arendt is very good, though dense. The essays are mostly good, some are terrific, though Benjamin chases his tail a bit throughout each (particularly writing on Baudelaire). I'm not emotionally prepared to read 6 volumes of Proust to appreciate the the nuances of Benjamin's essay on remembrance, but the essay on Kafka is substantial and thought-provoking enough to
I'd lie if I said that I understood more than - charitably - fifty percent of these essays. Besides for the mountains of literary references and the oblique angles from which Benjamin approaches his subjects, his languid, flâneur-like writing makes it difficult to follow his train of thought. Still, the beauty of such writing, and the tendency toward hyperbole so characteristic of the Frankfurt School, have no doubt played a great role in Benjamin's reputation as a critic.These essays, selected
A must read for anyone interested in art and ideas and the confluence of the two.
ILLUMINATIONS is the first part of a collection of essays and musings written by Walter Benjamin (1892-1940). Benjamin is well known for his philosophical analysis of literature and culture. He had a way of looking at things which made them no longer familiar: he thought nothing is as it appears to be, for this reason he became a scholar of appearances. Benjamin greatly influenced Sebald's writing. Sebald quotes Benjamin's thesis about the angel of history in his book ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF
The introductory essay by Hannah Arendtwho also did duty as editor of this wonderful collectionserves up her usual insight (and reliably delivered via her rather dense language) in categorizing Benjamin as a poetic mind who approached cultural and literary criticism in a unique manner, one that left a lasting influence upon those who followed in his wake. Benjamin's opening sally, a short piece on the eccentric inner workings of the book collector, resonated in a warmly satisfying way,
A wide-ranging collection of critical and aesthetic essays exploring everything from the process of literary translation across space and time to the artwork in the age of mechanical reproduction. Benjamins style, at once sensitive and incisive, is entrancing, though much of the criticism gathered here, including pieces on Kafka, Baudelaire, and Proust, feels archaic, ahead of its time but dated and shallow today.
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