The Singularity of Literature

by Derek Attridge

Winner of the ESSE (European Society for the Study of English) Book Award for Literature 2006 Literature and the literary have proved singularly resistant to definition. Derek Attridge argues that such resistance represents not a dead end, but a crucial starting point from which to explore anew the power and practices of Western art.
In this lively, original volume, the

Genres: Theory, Nonfiction, Literary Criticism, Criticism, Literature, Academic

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 8, 2004

About the author

Derek Attridge is a South African-born British literary scholar celebrated for his influential contributions to English literature, particularly in literary theory, poetic form, modernist fiction, and South African writing. He is especially noted for his work on James Joyce and J.M. Coetzee, and for his landmark study The Singularity of Literature, which won the European Society for the Study of English Book Award and has been translated into multiple languages. Across his career, Attridge has explored the ethical, rhythmic, and linguistic dimensions of literature, always emphasizing the transformative potential of reading.
He has authored or edited over thirty books and published scores of essays in journals and collections. His major works include The Rhythms of English Poetry, which challenged traditional approaches to poetic meter; Joyce Effects and How to Read Joyce, key texts for modernist studies; and J.M. Coetzee and the Ethics of Reading, which has become a foundational text in Coetzee scholarship. His book The Experience of Poetry traces the reception of poetry from Homer to Shakespeare, while Forms of Modernist Fiction offers an ambitious study of the modernist novel, earning recognition as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title.
Attridge has held numerous prestigious fellowships, including those from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Leverhulme Trust, and research centers in the US, Europe, and South Africa. He has also held visiting professorships in universities across four continents. He is Emeritus Professor of English and Related Literature at the University of York and a Fellow of the British Academy.
His editorial work includes influential volumes such as The Cambridge Companion to James Joyce, Acts of Literature (featuring essays by Jacques Derrida), and The Cambridge History of South African Literature. His writing is known for its clarity, depth, and ability to bridge close reading with philosophical inquiry, establishing him as a key figure in the fields of poetics, modernism, and literary ethics.

Reviews

[Roya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the most paradoxical book I have ever read. It impacted me deeply and yet I do not remember a single theory of it. (I mean I do but in abstract ways. I probably can't explain them to any other human.) +The language was extremely confusing and simple at the same time. The tone was very calm and collected and yet extremely passionate, even piercing. At times, it sent chills down my spine. My reaction to a single sentence could vary from "of course that's obvious" to "whoa how did I not see that before". It made me exhausted and refreshed at the same time. How can you rate a book like that? Well, at its core, I really liked it.

[Paweł · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is not very original and does not explain what is it about literature that is so singular: "My attempt to convey in the language of argument and description the essence of the literary has, of course, failed; but as an event communicated in the event of reading, this failure offers itself as testimony to the vitality and persistence of literature(p. 138)." In my opinion it is better to take any work of literature than to read books about literature. However, if someone is interested in philosophical qua Derridean musings on the literariness as such then "The singularity of Literature" will be a welcome encounter with otherness, alterity, and so on and so forth.

[Seth · Rating 4 out of 5]

much more fun than the atrocious cover art would imply. thanks, Derek.

[Christina “6 word reviewer” Lake]

Literature = inventive, singular event inviting response.

[Eden Bowditch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe the most important book on the intangible essence of literature and how it affects the world around it and the world within it.

[Sumant Salunke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know a lot of my classmates were very annoyed with this because of its suspiciously formalist undertones, but I genuinely thought it was good. Attridge's writing is so very accessible, and that's not because of the simplicity of the ideas as much as it is because of his considerateness as a scholar and writer. He makes space for the reader at every turn to participate in the book, and his ideas flow in a mostly organic and lucid manner. I did find the size of the book disproportionate to his ideas--it could have easily been much shorter and succinct, but I do appreciate that he clearly prioritises reiteration and long explanatory paragraphs over any other considerations.

[Giovanni Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

An illusion of a book.

[Book busy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite the challenge for me to get through. Despite only amounting to roughly 130/ 140 pages it took me many hours and some of the theory I feel went over my head. However, I think this provided some fundamental concepts regarding how to approach and consider the relationship between reader and text. It really intrigued me for my studies both of English literature and Modern Languages as the author's emphasis upon how texts have a "singularity" which can be sustained and warped over the years and how they redefine translation was of particular note to me. However, I struggled in some regards as whilst some points felt reiterated extensively, others were underdeveloped or at least underexplained. I look forward to re-examining this and getting to grips with/ breaking down the key theory.

[Kyo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

Pretty interesting read, especially in the details. The main point/argument of this book seemed to be not that inventive (hark hark), but the details and descriptions of those events were more interesting. At times unnecessarily "snobbish" (for lack of a better word)—for instance, there is no need to add "that everybody knows" to the introduction of Blake's "Sick Rose"—or convoluted in the details, but very interesting nonetheless.

Definitely recommend this to anyone interested in the question of the 'meaning'/'existence' of literature!

[Leif · Rating 5 out of 5]

During my second reading I discovered that this is an absolute gem, and not the clunker I had previously thought it. Attridge is generous, responsible, and erudite - and if the man loves Levinas so much, well, I guess that's allright. His sustained engagement with alterity, ethics, and innovation is a perfect method of exploring why, exactly, good books matter; and his is one of the best long-form definitions of literature I've encountered yet. If you have the time, the effort, and the background (because yes, sadly, I believe this might need a mixture of the three), then The Singularity of Literature is worth the read - after all, it packs a powerful punch for less than 150 pages.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very accessible, I'd very much recommend it for anyone interested in reading literature seriously.

[Codey · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most exciting works of literary theory I've ever read.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A passionate and convincing argument for aestheticism.