Against the Grain: The New Criterion on Art and Intellect at the End of the Twentieth Century

by Hilton Kramer (Editor), Roger Kimball (Editor)

"As a critical periodical The New Criterion is probably more consistently worth reading than any other magazine in English."―Julian Symons, Times Literary Supplement . Since its founding in 1982, The New Criterion has emerged as the foremost voice of critical dissent in the culture wars now raging throughout American society. Against the Grain brings together more than forty of the magazine's most incisive essays, challenging radical orthodoxies on a wide range of controversial subjects, from the philosophy of Michel Foucault to the art of Anselm Kiefer to the rationale of multiculturalism. Samuel Lipman writes on the future of classical music, Hilton Kramer on the plight of today's art museum, Joseph Epstein on the poet C. P Cavafy, and Roger Kimball on the treason of the intellectuals, as well as John Simon on Vladimir Nabokov and Donald Lyons on Angels in America. The collection contains thoughtful reevaluations of Henry James, Jean Genet, Harold Laski, A. E. Housman, Willem de Kooning, and Frederick Douglass. Written with wit, clarity, and fierce independence, Against the Grain is a major contribution to sanity and common sense on the most contentious cultural issues of the day.

Genres: Art, Essays, Criticism

477 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Cris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to thank my best friend for the discovery of this jewel. When you are classically-trained, you begin to despair of your sanity reading ArtNews or Art in America. However, for many years The New Criterion wrote extensively, clearly and knowledgeably about the loosening of the artistic standards along with the loss of the Western Canon. Wonderful critiques of Latin American Literature, Post Modern Art, of art critics (Robert Hughes), economists and every other contest at the heart of artistic life. (I am only just old enough to remember the Canon Wars at Uni, but I never got to read all this.) This is that wonderful compilation of the best critiques of the New Criterion (cynically named). It is heartening art criticism that has clear standards, technical rigor and historical literacy instead of being all social agitprop. Of particular interest is the article on the creeping of the social sciences "soft" sciences, into literature and history. I particularly enjoyed the critique of Robert Hughes, insofar as it exactly pinpointed my discomfort with that art critic's body of work, in ways which I would not have so clearly articulated. I look forward to reading the entire collection. I might actually have to buy this book for my children.


Para los lectores de Literatura Hispanoamericana, es necesario leer el capitulo sobre la influencia en la política de los varios autores incluyendo a Cortazar, Marquez, Dario, Mistral y otros. Pinta un triste cuadro de dichos autores, y el mutuo uso y abuso entre el circulo intelectual y los varios gobiernos y partidos tanto de derecha como de izquierda.

[Jocelyn Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Varied brilliant essays by very smart people about provocative topics.