Reconstructing Modernism - British Literature, Modern Architecture, and the State

Drawing upon a wealth of previously unexplored architectural criticism by British authors, this book reveals how arguments about architecture led to innovations in literature, as well as to redesigns in the concept of modernism itself.

List of contents

• Introduction: Brave New Worlds, Brave New Words, and Brave New Rooms


• 1: Waugh, Betjeman, Lewis and the Missed Future of Modernism


• 2: Aldous Huxley and the 'Brave New World' of Architectural Modernism


• 3: 'Swastika arms of passage leading to nothing': Bowen, Isherwood, Orwell, and the 'New' Britain


• 4: Planning for War and Peace: Betjeman, Orwell, Waugh, and the Dystopian Documentary


• 5: Epilogue: Modernist Afterlives: J. G. Ballard's 'Handful of Dust'

About the author

Ashley Maher is an Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen. Before that, she was the Stevenson Junior Research Fellow in English at University College, Oxford, and a lecturer in English at the University of Sydney. Her work has appeared in ELH and is forthcoming in the Journal of Modern Literature.

Summary

Drawing upon a wealth of previously unexplored architectural criticism by British authors, this book reveals how arguments about architecture led to innovations in literature, as well as to redesigns in the concept of modernism itself.

Additional text

Insightful and lucidly written, this book is an excellent addition to the literature. Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.

Product details

• Authors: Ashley Maher, Ashley (Assistant Professor Maher
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 26.03.2020
• EAN: 9780198816485
• ISBN: 978-0-19-881648-5
• No. of pages: 272
• Series: Oxford Mid-Century Studies Series
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; English, ARCHITECTURE / History / General, LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 20th Century, United Kingdom, Great Britain, History of Architecture, Literary studies: from c 1900 -, Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers, Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers, Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000