Part meditation, part commonplace book, "First and Last Things"
is an attempt by a writer of great distinction and strong
convictions to take stock of his beliefs and values. Here, Richard
Hoggart considers the big questions without shortchanging readers
with easy answers. He examines problems (as he sees them) of faith;
the mysterious origins of conscience; the importance of family and
friends; the value of literature; the nature of memory; and the
need, in old age, to find some value in existence. To these issues,
and many others, the author brings a lifetime of rich experience
and a mind well stocked with the best that has been written by
those who have gone before.
What emerges above all in this work is Richard Hoggart's love
of, almost obsession with, quotations from great authors,
especially, of course, Shakespeare. He muses on the business of
capitalism and democracy, noting a reluctant conclusion that
democracy is the least worst form of government, and that
capitalism is its inevitable partner, but one which democratic
societies should treat with "a very long spoon." He argues that
market and consumer driven societies are inevitably led to
relativism, head-counting, and populism. The result is a book that
is introspective without being self-absorbed, that is
thought-provoking but never preaching, that is, profound without
being portentous. "First and Last Things" is a work that the young
should read, if only to discover how much there is still to
understand, and one that the old will treasure.
Richard Hoggart was educated at Leeds University. Later, as
professor of modern English literature at Birmingham University, he
founded the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies. He has
authored or edited twenty-seven books, including "Between Two
Worlds: Politics, Anti-Politics, and the Unpolitical, The Uses of
Literacy," and "The Tyranny of Relativism," all available from
Transaction.
General
Imprint: |
Transaction Publishers
|
Country of origin: |
United Kingdom |
Release date: |
May 2002 |
First published: |
2002 |
Authors: |
Richard Hoggart
|
Dimensions: |
229 x 152mm (L x W) |
Format: |
Hardcover
|
Pages: |
234 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-7658-0146-3 |
Categories: |
Books >
Humanities >
Philosophy >
General
Books >
Philosophy >
General
|
LSN: |
0-7658-0146-9 |
Barcode: |
9780765801463 |
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!