Burning down the house
essays on fiction
by Charles Baxter
- 0 Ratings
- 1 Want to read
- 0 Currently reading
- 1 Have read
"Lately I've been possessed of a singularly unhappy idea: The greatest influence on American fiction for the last twenty years may have been Richard Nixon.".
What happens to American fiction in a time when villains are deprived of their villainy; when our consumer culture insists on happy endings? Did Richard Nixon start a trend of dysfunctional narration that is now rife throughout fiction? In Burning Down the House, Baxter delves into the social and political circumstances that influence today's "urgent issues of storytelling.".
Baxter invites unexpected connections: between gossip and characterization; between Puritanism, consumerism, and epiphanies; between violence and data processing. By asking readers to "explore the imagination's grip on daily life and how one lives in the pressure of that grip," Baxter offers a unique perspective into the reading and writing of contemporary fiction.
Check nearby libraries
Buy this book
Previews available in: English
Subjects
American fiction, History and criticism, 20th century, American fiction, history and criticism, 20th century, New York Times reviewed, American fiction--history and criticism, American fiction--20th century--history and criticism, Ps379 .b37 2008, Ps379 .b37 1997, 813/.509, Fiction, history and criticismTimes
20th centuryShowing 5 featured editions. View all 5 editions?
| Edition | Availability |
|---|---|
1
|
zzzz
Libraries near you:
WorldCat
|
2
|
zzzz
Libraries near you:
WorldCat
|
3
|
zzzz
Libraries near you:
WorldCat
|
4
|
cccc
Libraries near you:
WorldCat
|
5
|
aaaa
Libraries near you:
WorldCat
|
Book Details
Edition Notes
Includes bibliographical references.
Classifications
The Physical Object
ID Numbers
Source records
Scriblio MARC recordamazon.com record
marc_openlibraries_phillipsacademy MARC record
Internet Archive item record
Library of Congress MARC record
Promise Item
Promise Item
ISBNdb
marc_columbia MARC record
Work Description
What happens to American fiction in a time when villains are deprived of their villainy; when our consumer culture relentlessly insists on happy endings? In Burning Down the House, Baxter delves into the dramatic way that social and political circumstances influence the “urgent issues of storytelling.” Did Richard Nixon start a trend of dysfunctional narration that is now rife throughout fiction? Why do we seem to have forgotten the true meaning of epiphany? Burning Down the House is Baxter’s first collection of nonfiction and proves he has an equally strong gift for the art of the essay.
Links outside Open Library
Community Reviews (0)
Feedback?Lists
See All-
Writing books
from APd82
History
- Created April 1, 2008
- 13 revisions
Wikipedia citation
×CloseCopy and paste this code into your Wikipedia page. Need help?
| August 6, 2024 | Edited by MARC Bot | import existing book |
| December 20, 2023 | Edited by ImportBot | import existing book |
| May 4, 2023 | Edited by ImportBot | import existing book |
| May 4, 2023 | Edited by ImportBot | import existing book |
| April 1, 2008 | Created by an anonymous user | Imported from Scriblio MARC record |