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Beginning with the nature of literature, this also asks the questions of why we should read literature and why literature has such authority over us.This will be essential reading for any interested in the future of literature.
List of contents
1. What is Literature? 2. Literature as Virtual Reality 3. The Secret of Literature 4. Why Read Literature? 5. How to Read Literature?
About the author
J. Hillis Miller is UCI Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Irvine. He taught himself to read at the age of five so he could read Alice in Wonderland and has been reading ever since. He is author of several well-known books, including The Ethics of Reading.
Summary
Debates rage over what kind of literature we should read, what is good and bad literature, and whether in the global, digital age, literature even has a future. But what exactly is literature? Why should we read literature? How do we read literature? These are some of the important questions J. Hillis Miller answers in this beautifully written and passionate book. He begins by asking what literature is, arguing that the answer lies in literature's ability to create an imaginary world simply with words. On Literature also asks the crucial question of why literature has such authority over us. Returning to Plato, Aristotle and the Bible, Miller argues we should continue to read literature because it is part of our basic human need to create imaginary worlds and to have stories. Above all, On Literature is a plea that we continue to read and care about literature.
