Decompositions: Essays on Art and Literature, 1973-1989

by Eric Basso

Literary Criticism. Art Criticism. DECOMPOSITIONS collects Eric Basso's essay on art and literature in one volume. In the pivotal essay "Annihilation," Basso takes a short story by a forgotten Hungarian writer as the springboard to a searing dissection of Rembrandt, alchemy, Stephane Mallarme, Edgar Allan Poe and Rene Daumal, closing with a new interpretation of Kafka's The Castle. Eric Basso "remains one of the most interesting writers in the country, someone whose work does not fit conveniently into categories.but whose poetry, fiction and dramatic writing extend our sense of what terms like modernism and postmodernism mean"-Stephen-Paul Martin.

186 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2006

About the author

Eric Basso was born in Baltimore in 1947. His work has appeared in Asylum Annual, Bakunin, Central Park, Chicago Review, Collages & Bricolages, Exquisite Corpse, Fiction International, and many other publications. His novel, Bartholomew Fair, is available from Asylum Arts. He is the author of twenty-one plays. His critically acclaimed drama trilogy, The Golem Triptych; the complete short plays, Enigmas; his play The Sabbatier Effect; a book of short fiction, The Beak Doctor; and five collections of poetry, Accidental Monsters, The Catwalk Watch, The Smoking Mirror, Catafalques, and Ghost Light, are available from Asylum Arts, along with Decompositions: Essays on Art & Literature 1973-1989 and Revagations: 1966-1974, the first volume of a book of dreams. Basso's most recent previous collection of poems, Earthworks, was published by Six Gallery Press in 2008.

Reviews

[Noodle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally shy away from essays and criticisms where literature is concerned, mainly because they tend to be dry and long-winded at best, and unnecessarily critical at worst, spoiling what you loved about something, or turning you off of something new.

This book could not be more different. Eric Basso seems to the reader like a child with a new toy, his excitement over what he's playing with is genuine. It's clear the author loves his subject matter, and his enthusiasm is contagious.

Instead of dissecting every piece of a novel, character, or author, Eric Basso focuses his energy on ideas and esthetics. Instead of questioning the how or why, the author directs your attention to the what: what is so interesting or beautiful about a certain work.

This books concerns itself mainly with the Decadents, Symbolists, and Romantics. Many people and their works are discussed in this book, such as Valery, Nerval, Goya, and Daumal, among others. However, the highlight for me was the discussion of Alfred Jarry's alter ego, Pere Ubu.

All in all, Decompositions is a fantastic collection.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review forthcoming. Meticulous and destabilizing discussions of the depths and ruinations of art.