Illuminations
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Book Description
A now legendary collection of seminal essays by one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century.
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The literary-philosophical works of Walter Benjamin (1892-1940) rank among the most quietly influential of the post-war era, though only since his death had Benjamin achieved the fame and critical currency outside his native Germany accorded him by a select few during his lifetime. Now he is widely held to have possessed one of the most acute and original minds of the Central European culture decimated by the Nazis. Illuminations contains his two most celebrated essays, 'The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction' and 'Theses on the Philosophy of History', as well as others on the art of translation, Kafka, storytelling, Baudelaire, Brecht's epic theatre, Proust and an anatomy of his own obsession, book collecting. The essay is Benjamin's domain; those collected in this now legendary volume offer the best possible access to his singular and significant achievement. In a stimulating introduction, Hannah Arendt reveals how Benjamin's life and work are a prism to his times, and identifies him as possessing the rare ability to think poetically.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the great, unclassifiable writers of the century,
By A Customer
This review is from: Illuminations (Paperback)
Walter Benjamin is easily one of the great German prose writers of our century, despite being almost impossible to classify. His subject matter is frequently literary, but he always transcends his subject matter to touch upon issues in philosophy, art, history, Marxism, and Western culture, illuminating (no pun intended) all he discusses. His essays on Proust and Kafka are priceless, and his essays on "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" and the theses on the philsophy of history, are classic. But the best reason to read Benjamin is his prose. There are images in his essays on Proust and Kafka that are as superb as anything in Proust and Kafka. That is saying a lot, but it is true. As a philosopher, I value his example which proves that one can write meaningfully on philosophical topics, and yet write well. This collection of his essays, ILLUMINATIONS, is preferable to the second collection to appear in English, REFLECTIONS, though that one is also worth the time and effort.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unpacking my library,
By
This review is from: Illuminations (Paperback)
In addition to the 'classic' Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction [a must-read essay for all culture vultures, artists and flaneurs]
this volume contains the essay called, 'the task of the translator': which not only theorises about how we make a translation, but identifies that a translation is in fact a new work in its own right. This is all the more interesting, as this book is a translation, expertly created by Harry Zorn, with a snappy introduction from Hannah Arendt. Benjamin's work is also crucial [with regard to the above essay], for those interested in Postcolonial theory and the likes of Homi Bhabha. Another essay that I enjoy reading is 'unpacking my library'. A candid account of Benjamin unpacking his boxes of books and rediscovering old friends and memories through these treasured volumes. The range of topics covered by Benjamin is vast and his Theses on Philosophy of History has yet to be fully acknowledged as a crucial twentieth century text. I don't like the front cover - so I choose not to look it.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best collected Benjamin's essays in one volume.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Illuminations (Paperback)
Walter Benjamin, melancholically described as a Jewish-German philosopher, who anticipated the fate of the modern society, is often regarded as an obscure writer. But this book depicts the map of his thinking very clearly, so that I can understand well the original mind of Benjamin. I was very interested in Benjamin's commentary on Kafka. He described Kafka as the figure in 'the purity and beauty of a failure.' The intimacy between Benjamin and Kafka also frequently quoted as the example saying Benjamin's disposition of mysticism. However, it is not easy to accept that Jewish mysticism influences his account of Kafka more than his own interests in allegory. Although his commentary of Kafka seems to be obscure, his attention to Kafka can be caused not so much by mystical affection but rather by Kafka¡¯s allegorical aspects. The letter to Gerhard Scholem, 'Some Reflections on Kafka', clearly shows what Benjamin originally intends to point out in Kafka¡¯s works: the work of art in which only the products of wisdom¡¯s decay remain. It would do justice to Benjamin that we think his commentary of Kafka to be derived from his interests of allegory. For in allegory, as Benjamin says, truth is just to be a rumor. In this respect, Benjamin¡¯s commentary on Kafka would give a clue by which his project could be unveiled in terms of dialectical thinking. I'd like to recommend this book for whom wants to know one of the most unique cultural and Marxist theorist in 20th century.
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