| A Morbid Fascination: White Prose and Politics in Apartheid South Africa Contributor(s): Peck, Richard (Author) |
|
 |
ISBN: 0313300917 ISBN-13: 9780313300912 Publisher: Praeger OUR PRICE: $94.05 Product Type: Hardcover Published: February 1997 Annotation: Using a broad range of literature to examine the political culture of white South Africa, Peck finds both a preoccupation with political issues and a dislike for politics. The literature examined ranges from South African propaganda, through a variety of bestsellers--adventure stories and mystery novels written by authors such as Wilbur Smith and James McClure--to self-conscious literary works of the canonical white South African authors such as Alan Paton, Andre Brink, and Nadine Gordimer. The study gives attention to anti-political features of the liberal tradition that dominated South African writing, and to the failure of writers who undermined that tradition to generate a more positive view of politics. The morbid fascination with politics that is found across the full spectrum of creative writing is a reflection of the circumstances in which writers found themselves, but it is still a worrisome feature of the white South African political culture. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Political Science - Literary Criticism |
| Dewey: 823 |
| LCCN: 96027387 |
| Series: Contributions to the Study of World Literature |
| Physical Information: 0.86" H x 6.18" W x 9.3" (1.12 lbs) 216 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - Southern Africa |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Using a broad range of literature to examine the political culture of white South Africa, Peck finds both a preoccupation with political issues and a dislike for politics. The literature examined ranges from South African propaganda, through a variety of bestsellers--adventure stories and mystery novels written by authors such as Wilbur Smith and James McClure--to self-conscious literary works of the canonical white South African authors such as Alan Paton, Andr Brink, and Nadine Gordimer. The study gives attention to anti-political features of the liberal tradition that dominated South African writing, and to the failure of writers who undermined that tradition to generate a more positive view of politics. The morbid fascination with politics that is found across the full spectrum of creative writing is a reflection of the circumstances in which writers found themselves, but it is still a worrisome feature of the white South African political culture. |