Postmodernism: A Beginner's Guide

Beginner's Guide (Oneworld Publications)

by Kevin Hart

Adopting the role of tour guide, award-winning writer Kevin Hart leads the reader through the pitfalls, conundrums and complexities that characterize postmodernism, while providing an overview of the many different approaches (philosophical, cultural, literary…) to the subject. All the major thinkers are introduced – from Derrida to Blanchot, Irigaray to Foucault, and more besides – while the book is unique among introductory guides in its consideration of the role of religion in a postmodern world.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Academic

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2004

Reviews

[Guilherme · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I had noticed the author is a Indiana teacher, I would have saved myself four pounds. Painfully, exhaustingly American.

Each page reads like Catholic Mass except Catholic Mass does not pretend to be objective.

Once I opened the book for the third time at random and the author was arguing that, when Nietzsche said "God is dead", he meant Christians are not praying hard enough, I dropped the book at the first charity store I saw.

[Russell Mark Olson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've marked this as read, although I've left two and a half chapters unread. I like overview books because they often bring up writers or philosophers that I may have missed along the way, or frame ideas in a different way that challenges my own. The first four chapters of this book (the ones I've read) do a good job at introducing works that may be of further interest. The best chapter by far is on the fragment, sadly, for me it was the last chapter. I will read ideas on God written in a philosophical vein, ideas that give good argument for or against for the sake of the argument, however it appears that Mr. Hart's whole focus is to demonstrate how the latter stages of modernism and all of postmodernism have been in preparation for a time when people are ready to revive Nietzsche's dead one. Personally, (and I'll admit that this a somewhat close-minded viewpoint) I feel that when contemporary writers introduce Christian dogma into philosophical overviews, the point is to "witness" to new initiates of Philosophy who may be looking for "answers." By somehow relating a shedding faith to contemporary ideas, the writer seems to be attempting to say "but look how fresh religion is! Look at how open and unplumbed it all is! Stay here. Sure, have your ideas, read your Marx and Foucault, but..." Basically, "don't leave us behind." Call me a spoil sport, but this is one I won't be finishing.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and useful introduction to several forms of postmodernism. Readers should be aware that Hart is a Christian and that the book focuses more on the relationship of Christianity and postmodernism than the title advertises.

[Hooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

No No No. Why does Hart present a clear overview of Postmodernism and then towards the last few chapters veer into Christian apologetics?