

Pre-Owned Fiction Sets You Free: Literature, Liberty, and Western Culture (Hardcover) by Russell A Berman
Key item features
- ISBN: 9781587296048
- Condition: Pre-Owned: Good
- Hard cover
- Language: English
- Pages: 270
- Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 270 p.
- In what can only be called a genuine intellectual adventure, Russell Berman raises fundamental questions long ignored by literary scholars: Why does literature command our attention at all? Why would society want to cultivate a sphere of activity devoted to the careful study of literary fiction? Written as a tonic to what he calls the debilitating cultural relativism of contemporary literary studies, ""Fiction Sets You Free"" advances the innovative argument that literature and capitalism, rather than representing merely commercialization, actually belie a long and positive association: literary autonomy is a central part of modern Western culture, thoroughly intertwined with political democracy and free-market capitalism. Berman particularly challenges the issue of periodization, in which current scholarship emphasizes historical context over the integrity of a literary work and thus neglects the capacity of literature to remain interesting in other times and contexts. By moving from the origins of human language through the development of written alphabets and sacred texts, eventually probing the role of public literature in the creation of community, Berman elegantly and cogently surveys the intellectual landscape of Western societies. By giving us the license to dream and envision other worlds, literature sets us free.
Specs
- Book formatPaperback
- Fiction/nonfictionNon-Fiction
- GenreLiterature & Fiction
- Pages270
- PublisherUniversity of Iowa Press
- Original languagesEnglish
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Product details
- ISBN: 9781587296048
- Condition: Pre-Owned: Good
- Hard cover
- Language: English
- Pages: 270
- Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 270 p.
- In what can only be called a genuine intellectual adventure, Russell Berman raises fundamental questions long ignored by literary scholars: Why does literature command our attention at all? Why would society want to cultivate a sphere of activity devoted to the careful study of literary fiction? Written as a tonic to what he calls the debilitating cultural relativism of contemporary literary studies, ""Fiction Sets You Free"" advances the innovative argument that literature and capitalism, rather than representing merely commercialization, actually belie a long and positive association: literary autonomy is a central part of modern Western culture, thoroughly intertwined with political democracy and free-market capitalism. Berman particularly challenges the issue of periodization, in which current scholarship emphasizes historical context over the integrity of a literary work and thus neglects the capacity of literature to remain interesting in other times and contexts. By moving from the origins of human language through the development of written alphabets and sacred texts, eventually probing the role of public literature in the creation of community, Berman elegantly and cogently surveys the intellectual landscape of Western societies. By giving us the license to dream and envision other worlds, literature sets us free.
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Product image for illustration purposes only. The item you receive may vary from the image in minor ways, such as slight differences in appearance, color, and/or design. *Exceptions apply during holiday season, and on certain electronics, collectibles, and jewelry.
Pre-Owned: Good
What is the Walmart Pre-Owned Program?
Walmart Pre-Owned allows you to find previously owned, well-cared-for items from Walmart’s trusted & performance-managed sellers. Shopping Pre-Owned allows you to bring home the best-quality picks at even lower prices, in addition to extending the life of an item & reducing waste. Find your favorites & shop a range of conditions in every category.
Why Walmart Pre-Owned?

Trusted sellers & quality items
Each Pre-Owned item listed comes from Walmart’s trusted performance-managed sellers, to ensure you get quality items.
Quality you can afford
Save even more on top brands & your most-loved items.

30-day free returns
Don’t love it? Most items offer a 30-day* free return policy, for added peace of mind.

Sustainability
Shopping Pre-Owned helps in extending the life of an item & reducing waste.
Product image for illustration purposes only. The item you receive may vary from the image in minor ways, such as slight differences in appearance, color, and/or design. *Exceptions apply during holiday season, and on certain electronics, collectibles, and jewelry.
