Such Stuff as Dreams: The Psychology of Fiction explores how fiction works in the brains and imagination of both readers and writers. Demonstrates how reading fiction can contribute to a greater understanding of, and the ability to change, ourselves Informed by the latest psychological research which focuses on, for example, how identification with fictional characters occurs, and how literature can improve social abilities Explores traditional aspects of fiction, including character, plot, setting, and theme, as well as a number of classic techniques, such as metaphor, metonymy, defamiliarization, and cues Includes extensive end–notes, which ground the work in psychological studies Features excerpts from fiction which are discussed throughout the text, including works by William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Kate Chopin, Anton Chekhov, James Baldwin, and others
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Featured in The Scotsman – 25 July 2011 Featured in The Yorkshire Post – 23 August 2011 Featured in The Guardian – 22 July 2012 Featured in The Independent – 28 August 2012 Featured in The Globe & Mail – 9 September 2011 BBC Radio 4 interview – 7 July 2012 Featured in Times Literary Supplement – 30 March 2012 " Such Stuff as Dreams is a welcome and well–informed foray into a neglected research area. As someone who has thought very hard about the making of fiction as well as the creative engagement with it, Oatley is an excellent guide to the science of an art form whose value, in this brave new world of cognitive neuroscience, is undiminshed. His claim is that fiction, like other art forms, allows us to experience emotions in new contexts, and thus learn more about these emotions and ourselves. His achievement is to show us the many ways in which this is true." (The Psychologist, April 2012) "Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower–division undergraduates through faculty; general readers." (Choice, 1 January 2012) "Fiction, according to this cognitive psychologist, is a "dream" or mental "model" or "simulation", and now its effects can be probed with modern scientific techniques . . . Oatley explains with enthusiasm the results of his and others′ experiments on readers." (The Guardian, 22 July 2011) "Keith Oatley′s book asks why we read, and what happens to our mind when we do. It is a winning combination of psychology, literary criticism and speculation." (The Scotsman, 30 July 2011) Review in The Times and The Sunday Times e– paper – 12/07/11. "Much of the discussion is compelling, and this book could well change the way you read . . . Still, his writing is entertaining and he′s tapping into a rich vein, and I hope he will explore the subject further." (New Scientist, 23 July 2011)?
Review
This is the book on emotion and literature that we have been waiting for. Oatley’s perceptive review of the field and the numerous insights of his own that he develops make this book the richest and most intriguing to appear in a decade. It will be essential for anyone interested in the processes of literary reading. Written in deceptively simple and elegant prose, accommodating all the complexities within the field and beyond it, Oatley transports his reader from literature to psychology, from Shakespeare to children’s theory of mind, from Eisenstein’s film practices to the theories of ancient Indian poetics. All these topics and more contribute to illuminating the transformative power of literary fiction for the reader. — David S. Miall , Professor of English & Film Studies and Adjunct Professor of Comparative Literature, University of Alberta, Canada Like the best fiction, this insightful book illuminates fundamental truths about our minds, relationships, emotions, creativity, and how these come together to form stories with lasting impact. It is an engaging, wide–ranging, and scientifically–grounded journey from fiction’s roots in childhood through its continuing role in our lives. Professor Oatley is the perfect guide through the psychology of fiction: he combines the deep expertise of a scholar and the passion of a lifelong reader with a writer’s touch. This book is a delightful and thought–provoking read for anyone interested in literature, how it works, and why it is so important to the human experience. — Melanie C. Green , Professor of Psychology, University of North Carolina, USA
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By starquester
Format:Paperback
This is a well researched contribution to the debate about fiction as opposed to non fiction. Many people have noted that men can be much more comfortable with a solid biography ( or instruction manual) than they are with the fictional world which is found in a novel, and this book is concerned with exploring this terrain. It is deft in its establishment of the links between social skills/empathy and the consumption of fiction, and as such is a valuable companion piece to works such as "The Essential Differences" by Simon Baron Cohen.
This "Non Fiction" book will leave you with fascinating insights into the contribution which fiction can make to your roundedness as an individual and it does this with wit and skill
This "Non Fiction" book will leave you with fascinating insights into the contribution which fiction can make to your roundedness as an individual and it does this with wit and skill
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Alan Pavelin
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This book should be of interest to anyone interested in how fiction (plays and even cinema as well as novels) works. It is written in a fairly personal style by a professor of cognitive psychology who has also written novels. There are numerous references to academic studies, with 42 pages of endnotes and 24 pages of bibliography. In different chapters fiction is compared to such things as dreams and childhood play, and other topics discussed include the growth of reading groups and whether fiction is good for you. On the latter, the author concludes that reading novels (good ones!) can do much to increase empathy with other people. Among the writers with whom Oatley is particularly enamoured are Jane Austen (many references to Pride and Prejudice), Shakespeare, Chekhov, and George Eliot ("the greatest English novelist"). The ideas of Flaubert, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Henry James are also drawn upon. A worthwhile book for those interested in the subject.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By pacem et amorem
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Ever found yourself dreaming about something you have read? Ever wondered about how some terms from fiction appear to have filtered into common cultural consciousness? Ever wondered just how much our lives are influenced by the imaginative writings of others? This book might just help you answer some of those questions. If you have never wondered these things then this book will open your eyes to the influence of fiction on our minds and its ability to shape our lives - our thoughts, dreams, experiences and even our society.
As a previous student of Literature, I found this to be highly interesting and would have loved it to have been available when I was studying.
Well researched look at the effect of fiction on human minds and dreams. As Shakespeare wrote, we are after all,
`such stuff
As dreams are made on; and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.'
As a previous student of Literature, I found this to be highly interesting and would have loved it to have been available when I was studying.
Well researched look at the effect of fiction on human minds and dreams. As Shakespeare wrote, we are after all,
`such stuff
As dreams are made on; and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.'
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
fascinating read
This is a fascinating read about how fiction "works" and how it affects us - our lives, our minds etc. I love books like this so I ate it up with a spoon. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Green Book Addict Librarian
5.0 out of 5 stars
Make sure you read the footnotes!
As I am half way through a psychology degree, I have a bit of an understanding of the way we think, but hadn't really considered our relationship with fiction. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Leon Crawley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Why and how fiction works
This is an interesting book about how reading fiction affects our minds, our personalities and our lives. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Damaskcat
3.0 out of 5 stars
A thesis on the relationship between dreams and fiction
What I thought would be an interesting book turned out to be a thesis on how dreams are crafted and a look at how fiction and playwrights have influenced dreams. Read more
Published 19 months ago by J. Yeow
4.0 out of 5 stars
Reading Between The Lines
Keith Oatley's book sets out to explore the effects that fiction has on the human mind and its ability to determine, even alter our thought processes. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Graeme Wright
5.0 out of 5 stars
Forget Plato's cave - bring on the fiction!
'Such Stuff as Dreams' is an academic book and should be read as such. It does read very much as though it is the basis of a series of lectures which is what one expects from an... Read more
Published 20 months ago by M. J. Robinson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting
Some of the ideas explored in this book seem somewhat obvious, such as fiction being an extension of make believe. Read more
Published 20 months ago by GM Harlow
4.0 out of 5 stars
slightly disappointing
There's much good stuff in this book but the author is long-winded and doesn't always get to the point quickly enough. But it is definitely worth persevering.
Published 20 months ago by B. Brown
3.0 out of 5 stars
One for the Psychologists
As a writer, I was quite interested in this non-fiction. How, I wondered, can I invest more layers of meaning into my own work? Read more
Published 21 months ago by Rachel Green
4.0 out of 5 stars
A satisfyingly challenging read
I don't think my brain has worked this hard for over a decade since I left university, but like riding a bike it's amazing how much comes back to you. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Jo Bennie
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