The Best Introduction to Lacan
588215
Dor's text is a very user-friendly introduction to Jacques Lacan's groundbreaking rereading of Freud--(most importantly, this means the freeing of psychoanalysis from strict biological determinism).  A master assimilator, Lacan re-shaped the notion of the human subject, and the author tackles the subject in piece-by-piece fashion without overwhelming the reader.  Dor even tries to make sense of Lacan's borderline insane graphical representations of the primacy of the signifier over the signified, and to an extent he succeeds.  Though I am new to Lacan, I found this text to be the most precise and readable introduction to his ideas.
447678
I read this book two years ago and these thoughts will reflect that distance. The material presented here is that of the intersection of psychoanalysis, personal history, "history" and language. The authors come from a Lacanian perspective, but I found the text clear and well constructed, not abstruse in the least. "History" above includes the wars and social disruptions that create massive societal and personal traumas. in several case histories presented the violence witnessed by the patient, or even the violence witnessed by the patient's mother or father--this history weighs heavily. it affects speech, action. the generational component is key--there are many instances of patients living someone else's trauma, even though this someone else (mother, father) never said one word about it.

Now as I flip through the book to remind myself more, I realize after I read this I picked up "Achilles in Vietnam", which the authors dicuss and mention favorably. Indeed, the bibliography, if you could see it, really shows the wide-ranging tastes and tactics the authors use to weave their tapestry. Here are a few names to give you a taste:

 Arendt, Artaud, Beckett, Bion, Breton, Louis Carroll, Cervantes, Chretien de Troyes, Cocteau, Conrad, Damasio, Descartes, Duchamp, Dubois, Eliot, Faulkner, Ferenczi, John Ford, Foucault, Freud, Heisenberg, Herodotus, Homer, Huxley, Kant, Kerouac, Keynes, Lacan, La Mettrie, Loraux, Machiavelli, Mallarme, Moliere, Montaigne, Nagy, Pasolini, Plato, Poe, Ponge, Rabelais, Rousseau, Sacks, Said, Saussure, Sophocles, Sendhal, Stravinsky, Strindberg, Swedenborg, Valery, Verlaine, Vigo, Virgil, Visconti, Voltaire, Winnicott, Wittenstein, Zola, Zeami.

These are just the well recognized names--but what stands out is how the authors blend all this artistic, historical and philosophical knowledge into the personal narratives of the patients that pop up here and there. It's a moving read, recommended.
1878217
This is the best single volume introduction I've seen to Tibetan Buddhism. I'm a Zen practitioner who has long been interested to learn more about Tibetan beliefs and philosophy, and this fit the bill perfectly.

Powers does an excellent job of framing Tibetan Buddhist practice. He begins with a brief historical introduction to the Buddha and early histories of Buddhism in India and pre-Buddhist times in Tibet. He describes the basics of Mahayana teachings clearly and with emphasis on the key elements that show up in Tibetan systems. It then describes the basic commonalities of the Tibetan practices from both an historical point of view (e.g., Tibet's modern history) and philosophical point of view (e.g., Tantra). Finally, it details the four main Tibetan orders (Nyingma, Sakya, Geluk, and Kagyu) plus the Bon tradition. All of this is exactly the right material to provide a comprehensive overview, along with enough depth that one knows where to go to explore further.

What doesn't it do? Well, first of all this is not a book about practicing Tibetan style. It describes many of the practices, explains them, and puts them in philosophical and historical context, but it is definitely not a guide to doing them. That is probably best sought with a teacher, or at least through a book with a different scope. Second, Powers does not take sides and does not attempt to sort through conflicting claims or to reconcile Tibetan beliefs to modern or scientific beliefs. He attempts to explain them as they are understood "from the inside", as it were, not to judge them. In particular, he doesn't try to convince you of any of them, and doesn't present any one of them as superior to the others. That's a welcome contrast to many other introductions I've seen that are specific to one of the traditions. Third, it does not attempt to be maximally concise. As others note, it is slightly repetitive in places, but to my reading that simply serves to highlight the key points and to make the sections stand a bit more on their own, which is a good thing.

Overall, I've learned a tremendous amount. For generally interested readers, or practitioners either in other traditions or Tibetan practitioners wanting a philosophical introduction, it is a great place to start.
1110369
Excellent introduction to Western philosophy. The best intro I have read so far that defines the main thoughts with lucidity. The reason why this book is so valuable is that it is written from transcripts from a British television show. The transcripts were then edited, abridged and revamped for clarity. And they are really lucid. Each essay is a conversation of two persons, Brian Magee and another person expertise on the particular philosopher being discussed. So the entire book is done in dialogs, which I find similar to another beneficial book from television dialogues on human consciousness, Thinking Allowed, by Jeffrey Mishlove. This book by Brian Magee pretty much takes the the major Western philosophical thought within 350 pages, lucid and direct.

The list of philosophers being discussed are Plato, Aristotle, Medieval Philosophy of St. Augustine. and Thomas Aquinas, Descartes, Spinoza and Lebnitz, Locke and Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Hegel and Marx, Schopenhauer Nietzsche, Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre and Modern Existentialism, Pierce, James, Dewey and American Pragmatism, Frege, Russell Ayer and Modern Logic and Wittgenstein.

From Plato's theory of forms, that is, the transient, changing world of flux and appearances and the fixed, eternal world of perfect forms.to Aristotle's inquiry of substance behind the surface of empirical observation, inquiry to what is the real meaning of what is existence. I really enjoyed the explanations of Hegel and Marx's replacement of materialism within the same historical philosophy and Wittgenstein's linguistic determination of meanings. It also clarified Heidegger's difference from Husserl's idea of mind direction or intention to that of unconscious involvement inside the actions, whether intention is employed or not. and the idea that Sartre attempted to place Heidegger's idea in the Cartesian means of Husserl. Nietzsche's attack on four main traditions, against Socratic inquiry in favor of more instinctual drives, a law unto themselves. Great discussion on Schopenhauer's similarity to Buddhist underlying unity of reality but with a pessimist view.

A lot more information, lucid, short and concise. Great book.
2383806
"The Death of Art" is a little gem! For my studies as an art historian, I've already read Sharma's first book on Adorno entitled "Music in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" which was, although profound and very academic, a hard nut to crack for the average student/reader unfamiliar with the topic. I was hoping for a book that explained Theodor W. Adorno's views in a far more comprehensible manner. This concise book is the answer. It is targeted exactly towards students new to the field of art theory and aesthetics and those interested in cultural theory, philosophy, art, music, as well as also those interested in the philosophies of Theodor W. Adorno. The book gives us Adorno's views full in the face about art without pretence.
While the book is mainly about Adorno, the author also catapults the ideas of the long dead philospher into the here and now and applies them to the world of today. The book title "The Death of Art," possibly meant as an eye-catcher, is actually an allusion to the work of Frankfurt School philosophers to which Adorno belonged.
Another asset and immensely helpful to my studies is the book's comprehensive bibliography, absolutely essential to get a full picture of Adorno's ideas.
I enjoyed reading the book and was often relieved that someone actually spelt out my own feelings about fake art and highly overrated "creations" of the cultural industry. I thoroughly recommend "The Death of Art" to those individuals interested in the topics mentioned above.
Al Weigold
911056
If you've never read Heidegger, this probably isn't too bad of a place to start out. He actually reveals a great deal more about his motives and methods in the first part of this than in a lot of his other writings. Both his circular style of questioning (and Heidegger is all about questioning, not arguing, not declaring, but really asking sincerely about what things are.) and his emphasis on close, intensely focused etymological readings are well laid out here and not as difficult to get at as a lot of his later writings on poetry, language and art can be. It's a 'hard' text regardless, not because Heidegger is a bad writer, but because focusing in on the things he does is sincerely difficult, it takes work. But sometimes he'll just come out of nowhere and clobber you with a brilliant, haunting thought amidst all of the dense word play and grammar. An intense inquiry from an intense mind.
4798540
I had mixed feelings about this book. Its worth getting. It is beautifully written, clear, concise, and conveys a ton of difficult material on Lacan in a very lucid manner. Its probably one of the best academic writings I've encountered on Lacanian theory--to some extent (that is, the most basic and elemental aspects of Lacan).

However, I was not happy with the way the writer brought her impeccably controlled and "authoritative" theoretical apparatus to bear on children's literature. Not once did she address the problem that children would never be able to process their literature in Zizekian or Lacanian language. She never discusses the immense gap between the theoretical technology she commands and the audience for the books she writes about, to the point where it got absolutely ludicrous to read about the perverse psychic structure of Curious George. She simply has to address the problem that children don't have a clue what "the Other" is. They do not have these terms at their disposal. Therefore, it seems to me, one must find and seek out the structural translations that might lead us to really understand how how the "Other" or the "phallus" translates to someone without this verbiage. It seems to me that children's lit demands a purely structural Lacanian approach so that we may find the things that truly are at work and transmitting to children. I don't think she gets at this level at all, except, maybe, when she is talking about early picture books. Then she actually discusses the differences between words and things, images and story. That is concrete. But when she gets to the older literature, she loses her grip.

This is not to say that one can't use Lacan to talk about children's lit, but her readings are way too didactic. She spends way too much time expounding and explaining her theory, and hardly any time at all reading the texts. A la Zizek, they simply become "transparent" demonstrations of her theory.

So I would recommend this if what you're interested in is an "authoritative" rendition of Lacanian theory; it really is very clear and very interesting. But I would not recommend it if you're interested in children's literature or a truly Lacanian reading of children's lit.
3223837
First, the strengths: Andrew gives intelligent summaries and discussion of some major historical film theorists, with chapters on Munsterberg, Arnheim, Eisenstein, Balazs, Kracauer, Bazin, Mitry, Metz, and Ayfre, and Agel. He focuses on the debate between the formalists (who believe film art is defined by its formal properties including editing, framing, mise-en-scene, lighting, and etc.) and the realist tradition (who believe that film art is defined by its basis in photography, a physical impression of its subject). The highlight is undoubtedly Andrew's excellent discussion of the great French critic Andre Bazin, which is not surprising since Andrew's Ph. D thesis was on Bazin. The weaknesses: This was published in 1976, and so it completely ignores the vast body of criticism published since then, especially feminism, and the influence of Lacan and psychoanalytic theory. Still, this is not a bad starting point for students of film theory.
2509332
Anyone interested in having a first rate introduction to the work of Giambattista Vico should start with this book. Vico has become a cult figure among those who promulgate a contructivist/contextualist epistemology/ontology. The problem: Reading Vico in the original can be a daunting task. Mali's book offers clarity and context to Vico's work -- The New Science. Mali offers a sound interepretation of Vico in that he understands constructivism and he can place Vico's work in the context of the intellectual activity surrounding the European Enlightenment. Additionally, Mali can insert relevant quotations from Vico at precisely the right place in his text. I regret that I did not find this book when it was first published in 1992
3497726
Rarely do you find a book that covers a dense topic in a remarkably lucid manner.  This is such a book.  The book is, as it says it is, a dictionary.  It covers *some* terms in Hegelian studies.  It does not cover all of them (being around 300 pages).  Further, it is aimed at undergraduates, not specialists.  With that said, I have found this the most useful introduction to Hegel.  One amazon reviewer complained that this book wasn't good because Magee didn't have an entry on "positing."  Seriously?  The book is quite fine.

Below are some of the highlights.

Overview of Hegel's Thought

For Hegel human beings are the self-consciousness of existence itself (Magee 2).  Hegel inverts Aristotles chain of being.  The lower gives way to the higher.  The highest form of consciousness will include self-reflection.  The goal of the Absolute is to posit enough in order for it to be an "idea of an idea," all previous ideas having been sublated.

Earlier philosophers used absolutum to mean God, but god defined as a coincidence of opposites (Magee 19).  Hegel: when the Absolute is conceived as the transcendent unity of all things (cancellation of differences), it is really an empty concept. The Absolute is the whole.
existence exists in order to achieve consciousness of itself (20).  Perpetually gives rise to conditions for it to overcome. The final moment is when self-relatedness is achieved through self-consciousness.

For Hegel universals and particulars are not separate things.  Nor are universals in particulars.  Rather, particulars are within universals (61).  The universal has no reality apart from its concrete realization.

Spirit as self-consciousness has a dual object: the thing out there (given in perception) and itself, which is in opposition to the thing.  The subject is moved to transform the object out of the desire to confront itself.  When a subject wishes to know itself, it must split into a subjective side (which knows) and an objective side (known).  Since we desire total self-reflection, this means transforming the object into a mirror of myself (70).  This leads to postmodern violence.

Analysis and Conclusion:

Magee focuses on Hegel's key works (each book given at least a two page treatment), with *most* of the key terms in the book.  Key philosophers (Kant, Schelling, Marx) receive substantial treatment.

There is some repetition, but I suppose that can't be help.  Magee concludes with a short but useful bibliography.
846606
This book was written before Fanon's "Black Skins, White Masks". Much of what Fanon did in his great debut is elaborate on Cesaire's work, add psychiatric aspects to it, and further explore the ideas of Cesaire.
Cesaire's denounciation of the West (both Europe and the US) is based on two pillars - one is the Western deeply racist and violent attitude towards the then colonized world, and the second is Cesaire's Marxist leanings. He mentions the Soviet Union in one short sentence as an example of a positive society - how were people misled by Stalinist Russia was a mystery. But in the forward by Robin Kelly we learn that Cesaire quit the communist party and denounced Stalinism as early as 1956.
Cesaire's strongest point is that French attitudes towards Africa (half a century ago !) bear a close resemblence to German Nazi attitudes towards Jews and other "inferior" people.
The forward by Robin Kelly and the interview with Cesaire at the end add a lot of subtance to this powerful but short essay.
This book is highly recommended to people who appreciate Fanon, and all those who wish to learn the roots of anti colonial philosophy.
2566140
Pluhar's translation is wonderful. The extensive annotation makes the whole work perfectly clear, offering alternative translations and pointing out the technical German vocabulary (so essential to understanding Kant). The work flows beautifully, and though the material was dense, I could hardly put it down at times. If you're just starting Kant, do not start here. I'd suggest the excellent series by W.T. Jones called A History of Western Philosophy (specifically volume four). Read and reread it. Understand the basics about Kant, then, when you have the proper grounding, go on to the Critique. It will reward careful study.
2568614
Among the many publications available on the British master, this one is undoubtedly the best. Written by a specialist of Freud's art, it is almost a catalogue raisonn and follows a chronological pattern that starts with the early paintings from the 1940's and ends with the latest works from 2007. Especially interesting are the various interviews of the artist that give invaluable insight on his working methods and how he views his own art. All the illustrations are in full color and enable the reader to distinguish the thick and brutal brushstrokes of the painter and his ability to extract the beauty in the ugliness of the human being.

A tour de force of an artbook.
1729750
I initially encountered Teaching the Postmodern when I was a nineteen-year-old undergraduate first struggling to grasp the nuances of Derrida, Foucault, and Lacan. I picked it out at random from the library and studied it carefully. Postmodern concepts are difficult to understand, but Marshall's presentation makes them accessible without dumbing them down. Now, as a professor of literature myself, this is the book that I recommend to people as an introduction to literary theory and analysis.
1130465
A genius reveals his soul.  By far the most important thinker I've read, yet human enough to show his humanity.  Never claiming divinity, he brought us close to the spiritual doorways, and his book is the best introduction to the man and his inspired thoughts.  I have his full Collected Works, but this book is the starting place.  I am reading it for the third time.
1783563
The Penguin/Viking "Portable" series make for great intros to many of the world's finest writers, and this edition is no exception.  Wilde was a tortured man, living a double life which ultimately led to his imprisonment and bankruptcy in Victorian England.  His writings reflect the dichotomy he faced in both is personal life and artistic endeavors during that period.

Beginning with a solid life intro, and discussion of the writings by the editors, the collection begins with his essay "The Critic as Artist", setting the stage for the follow on plays, prose and poetry that follow.

The next work is "The Picture of Dorian Gray" in its entirety.  The novel reads reminds this reader of Dostoyevsky, and examines the duality of a life artificially lived, and the hiddenness of the soul and the effect of sin on the soul and visage of the man.  Somewhat biographical to all men, Dorian Gray takes on even more poignancy when read against the backdrop of Wilde's own life.

Also contained in the compilation are the plays "Solome" and "The Importance of Being Earnest", one a tragedy and the other a comedy.  Included in the poetry is "The Ballad of Reading Gaol", a haunting expose of the prison life and soul rending experience of Wilde while in prison.  There are other short stories and a collection of letters as well, including a letter to his lover entitled "De Profundis".

In all, this is a great intro to Wilde.  I had never read any of his works prior to picking up this volume, and am now richer for the experience.  A fine author, and a tragic figure - his tribulations come through in his work, and provide the reader with an appreciation of the man and his times.
713613
This is the first introductory book I'd read on literary or cultural theory, and at the time I had very little idea of what "theory" could mean, although I had a brief exposure to some cultural theory from anthropological readings. The great reviews of this work (and its availability at the library) made it my first choice.

Barry does a good job of concisely explaining the principles, key figures, and key concepts of some popular theoretical perspectives. He also does an excellent job of working examples of applying their insights to literature. Each chapter has a list of 'what  critics do,' a handy step-by-step that would doubtlessly be very useful for anyone needing to apply such theory to a reading with a less than stellar command.

The title, however, is misleading: in my opinion, there is very little about culture, directly, in this book. I would've liked at least some tie to culture, if only in terms of what particular theorists' work means for those concerned with culture, or the concept of culture in general. There was no solid discussion or example of theory in a cultural context.

The second beef I have with the book is its lack of depth in some important areas. First, the reader is left to imagine a purpose or historical context for any given theoretical perspctive. Although we're given a set of rules for application, and a quick introduction to precepts, Barry completely avoids the questions of 'What does this mean?,' whether politically, culturally, or simply in terms of practical use. I frequently found myself wondering why anyone bothered with some of these viewpoints at all. Perhaps, in retrospect, this is a symptom of such theorizing in general, rather than a problem with Barry's book, but I would have liked an introduction that tackled these issues.

Secondly, and I suppose necessarily in an introduction, I found many of the chapters lacking in detail. In the chapter on psychoanalytical criticism, for instance, Barry's discussion of Lacan and Lacanian criticism left me wondering why Lacan did and thought as he did: clearly he wasn't just a literary critic, and clearly he must have had some point and objective outside of simply allowing critics to adopt a particular perspective. There is no inkling of his motivations or historical situation, just a trite guide to applying a few handy precepts to your reading of literature. Obviously a full discussion or understanding of such issues would be a lifetime's work, but even in an introduction I felt more was required.

In summary: this feels like a completely practical (as in: get the paper written, now) guide to theory, which seems to me paradoxical. If you're looking for an introduction focusing on literary criticism, particularly on its step-by-step application to readings, this will prepare you quickly and accurately. If you're interested in anything more than a step-by-step distillation, or anything at all related to culture: so was I. My plan is to keep looking.