Is Literary History Possible?

by David Perkins

Is Literary History Possible? is a landmark study of the thinking underlying recent theory about literary history. Through analysis of particular literary histories―most of them contemporary works―Perkins elaborates on two fundamental problmes that arise in the writing of literary the contradictions inherent in organizing, structuring, and presenting the subject; and the "always unsuccessful" attempt of literary histories to explain the development of the literature they describe.

Genres: Literature

Paperback

First published December 1, 1991

Reviews

[Oleksii Dolhuliov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Домучив блять

[rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is a terribly boring and dry explanation of how literary historicization/anthologizing/taxonomizing leads to reductive understandings of literary canon and history. Unsurprisingly it happens to be the most boring way to articulate it! Anyway I’m giving it two stars bc I was able to compare this approach to others read in the context of this course- ones which somehow weren’t the most boring way to explain the mentioned topics anywayy she’s done! Bye Perkins ur boring prose will linger

[Ava · Rating 4 out of 5]

No, but we must do it anyway, if you were wondering. Not really a spoiler, he says that in the first chapter. Most parts of this book were very strong. Throughout most of the book Perkins deconstructs the feasibility and integrity of literary history, and he does so very well. Chapters 2, 3, and 5 are especially effective at this. The literary theory discussed in chapters 6 and 7 (chiefly focused on New Historicism and Russian Formalism, respectively) greatly interested me. I just wish Perkins spent a little bit more time on why we SHOULD do literary history in spite of its impossibility. We get a little bit of that in the final chapter but some more room for that discussion would have been appreciated.

[• Domeniko • · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.85