Henry James and the Culture of Publicity

by Richard Salmon

Overview

This book examines the relationship between the writings of Henry James and the historical formation of mass culture. Throughout his career, James was concerned with such characteristically modern cultural forms as advertising, biography, and the new journalism. Richard Salmon's study situates James' fiction and criticism within the context of the contemporary debates surrounding these rival discursive practices. He explores both the nature of James' contribution to the critique of mass culture and offers a reassessment of the politics of James' cultural criticism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521100335
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	01/18/2009
Pages:	252
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

Table of Contents

List of abbreviations; Introduction; 1. Transformations of the public sphere in The Bostonians; 2. What the public wants: criticism, theatre and the 'masses'; 3. 'The insurmountable desire to know': privacy, biography and 'The Aspern Papers'; 4. The power of the press: from scandal to hunger; 5. The secret of the spectacle: advertising The Ambassadors; Postscript; Notes; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"Salmon adds a quiet, thoughtful, solidly researched contribution to an area of James studies...Most useful for graduates, researchers, and faculty." Choice

From the Publisher