Literary Criticism

"Writing only leads to more writing." — Colette

• Book Lovers: Literary Necrophilia in the 21st Century

  Joanna Walsh on loving books in the 21st century.

  Joanna WalshDec 14, 2017

  • Literary Criticism

  • Nonfiction

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  Flash and Lumber: Elizabeth Hardwick’s Essays

  Morten Høi Jensen is swayed but not blinded by the flash of Elizabeth Hardwick’s inimitable essays.

  Morten Høi JensenDec 13, 2017

  • Literary Criticism

  • Memoir & Essay

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  A Threshold Is an Opening

  Frances McDonald and Whitney Trettien on their new digital journal, "thresholds."

  Frances McDonald, Whitney TrettienNov 27, 2017

  • Cultural Studies

  • Literary Criticism

• 

  Paradoxes of Incarnation: Medieval Allegory Revisited

  In defense of allegory.

  John FarrellNov 26, 2017

  • Literary Criticism

• 

  Computation de Texte

  James Edward Draney on Dennis Tenen's "Plain Text: The Poetics of Computation."

  James Edward DraneyNov 25, 2017

  • Literary Criticism

  • Science & Technology

• 

  Out of the Quagmire of Words: Ordinary Language Philosophy and Literary Study

  V. Joshua Adams considers Toril Moi's "Revolution of the Ordinary: Literary Studies after Wittgenstein, Austin, and Cavell."

  V. Joshua AdamsNov 22, 2017

  • Literary Criticism

  • Philosophy & Religion

• 

  “I Don’t Want To Grow Up”: On Oliver Ready’s “Persisting in Folly: Russian Writers in Search of Wisdom, 1963–2013”

  Josh Billings finds good sense in Oliver Ready’s “Persisting in Folly: Russian Writers in Search of Wisdom, 1963–2013.”

  Josh BillingsNov 17, 2017

  • Around the World

  • Literary Criticism

• 

  The Ironies of Style

  Matthew Hunter reviews Jeff Dolven’s “Senses of Style: Poetry before Interpretation.”

  Matthew HunterNov 9, 2017

  • Cultural Studies

  • Literary Criticism

  • Philosophy & Religion

• 

  Through a Verse Darkly: On Kevin Hart’s “Poetry and Revelation”

  One surefire way to ruin a poem is to let a philosopher interpret it. Happily, however, Kevin Hart the philosopher-poet is an exception.

  Christopher WatkinNov 8, 2017

  • Literary Criticism

  • Poetry

  • Religion

• 

  Nightmare Consumption: On Dina Khapaeva’s “The Celebration of Death in Contemporary Culture”

  Melvin Konner explores “The Celebration of Death in Contemporary Culture” by Dina Khapaeva.

  Melvin KonnerOct 31, 2017

  • Cultural Studies

  • Literary Criticism

• The Surreal Sources of “Lolita”: Nabokov and Dalí

  Delia Ungureanu uncovers the hidden surrealist subtext of Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita.”

  Delia UngureanuOct 30, 2017

  • Fiction

  • Literary Criticism

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  Hail Wedded Love

  Andrew Cutrofello reviews Paul A. Kottman's "Love As Human Freedom."

  Andrew CutrofelloOct 27, 2017

  • Literary Criticism

  • Philosophy & Religion