Understanding James, Understanding Modernism
Understanding James, Understanding Modernism by David H. Evans, published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA in April 2017, offers an in-depth exploration of William James’s significant impact on modernist thought. This 328-page volume serves as both an introduction for students of history, philosophy, and culture, and a comprehensive examination of James’s role in shaping American and International Modernism. The book delves into how James’s pioneering ideas in psychology and philosophy resonate through modernist art and literature, influencing notable figures such as James Joyce and Virginia Woolf.
Readers will find a collection of essays that analyze James’s essential texts and his lasting influence on contemporary writers, artists, and thinkers. The contributors provide insights into James’s innovative approaches to consciousness and skepticism, which predate many themes in modern and postmodern discourse. Additionally, the final section includes a glossary of key terms related to James’s work, crafted by leading experts in the field. This edition presents a multifaceted view of a central figure in modernism, making it a valuable resource for those interested in literary criticism and philosophical inquiry.
Official synopsis Publisher
Psychologist, philosopher, teacher, writer-William James stood closer than any other thinker to the center of the confluence of intellectual and artistic forces that defined the culture of modernism. The outstanding feature of this volume lies in its intent to investigate James’s influence on both American and International Modernism. It provides, on the one hand, a multifaceted introduction to students of history, philosophy, and culture, and on the other, a compendium of some of the most up-to-date thinking on this central figure.
James’s first book, Principles of Psychology (1890) immediately established James as the leading psychologist of his time, at a moment in history when psychology seemed to offer the promise of finding some definitive answers to eternal philosophical conundra. James’s innovations would register a clear effect on much modernist art, most evidently in the stylistic prose experiments of James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and their imitators. James’s tentative skepticism concerning the concept of consciousness as such, and the post-Cartesian ego that was its foundation, also anticipates the questioning of the subject that would be the theme of much modern, and indeed postmodern thought.
The contributors to this volume explore James’s most essential texts as well as his influence on contemporary writers, artists, and thinkers. The final section is a glossary of James’s key terms, with entries written by leading experts.
Publisher
Topics
FAQ
What is “Understanding James, Understanding Modernism” about?
Who is the author of “Understanding James, Understanding Modernism”?
When was “Understanding James, Understanding Modernism” published?
What is the ISBN for “Understanding James, Understanding Modernism”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
