With this collection of subversive essays, Jacques Derrida exploded onto the scene of post-modern philosophy in Europe and the US though he didn't have a doctorate or teaching position at the time. In it, he demonstrates for the first time his conception of `deconstruction,' an apparently inexplicable concept which enables the analysis of `inter-textuality' and `binary-oppositions,' to be revealed. `Writing and Difference,' is of course a difficult text, and analytic philosophers don't even bother with it, though that may be their greatest mistake, for Derrida attempts (and not without success) to demonstrate that the notion of purely objective, enlightened truth seeking is an impossibility. That the essence of thought always operates within a given schema, a given facticity. "Differance," the famous phrase of Derrida, indicates that writing is necessarily primary to speech, we can see the `differ a nce' in text, not phonetically.
Added by: LuckyLirik | Karma: 26.17 | Fiction literature | 19 August 2008
33
Over the past 25 years, Madonna
has inspired many, infuriated more, and ingrained herself in the public
consciousness with such force of will that she's become a favorite
subject of academia. Every suggestive lyric, every bright new hairdo,
every playful crotch grab is fodder for college courses, daylong
seminars, even entire books by scholars looking to make a buck off
arguably the most famous woman in the world.
Christopher Ciccone is not one of those scholars. He's a great tattletale, though. Life With My Sister Madonna
arrives at an inauspicious time for the 49-year-old pop star, who's
been batting away rumors of an extramarital affair with New York
Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez. For E! News fanatics and sun
worshippers in need of a good beach read, it's hard to beat.
Added by: elcortez | Karma: 407.08 | Periodicals, Other | 2 July 2008
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A contemporary thriller / horror comic book series.
Suggested for mature readers only (over 13).
First issued in 1988, this is your chance to enjoy a more thoughtful story telling than the traditional superhero.
Hellblazer's main character is portrayed as a reluctant non-hero, just trying to survive.
Though naturally talented in magic he possesses no powers of his own and is often a pawn in the game between heaven and hell.
Issue 16 to 20
The Horchows advise listeners on meeting and making new friends, building foundations for lasting friendships, and managing "advanced friendships." Though their "rules for connecting" are indeed simple, they're often overlooked. In his excellent introduction, Malcom Gladwell explains that the Horchows mean to demystify friendship which, like crime, is simply a matter of "means, motive, and opportunity." Though the book is narrated mainly by Holter Graham, who conveys the message without sounding preachy, the Horchows weigh in frequently. Roger, who has a gravelly Texas accent, and his daughter, Sally, pert and urbane, read the many sidebars. Their friendly voices and entertaining stories enhance this production--which would make a nice gift to a friend.
This alphabetically arranged, 2,700-entry encyclopedia treats aspects of U.S. popular culture, defined as "all the experiences in life shared by people in common, generally though not necessarily disseminated by the mass media."
