About the book
The master of literary theory takes on the master of the detective novel
Raymond Chandler, a dazzling stylist and portrayer of American life, holds a unique place in literary history, straddling both pulp fiction and modernism. With The Big Sleep, published in 1939, he left an indelible imprint on the detective novel. Fredric Jameson offers an interpretation of Chandler’s work that reconstructs both the context in which it was written and the social world or totality it projects. Chandler’s invariable setting, Los Angeles, appears both as a microcosm of the United States and a prefiguration of its future: a megalopolis uniquely distributed by an unpromising nature into a variety of distinct neighborhoods and private worlds. But this essentially urban and spatial work seems also to be drawn towards a vacuum, an absence that is nothing other than death. With Chandler, the thriller genre becomes metaphysical.
Editions of Raymond Chandler
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781784782160
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781784782184
- EBook
- ISBN 9781784782177
Read an Excerpt
The master of literary theory takes on the master of the detective novel
Raymond Chandler, a dazzling stylist and portrayer of American life, holds a unique place in literary history, straddling both pulp fiction and modernism. With The Big Sleep, published in 1939, he left an indelible imprint on the detective novel. Fredric Jameson offers an interpretation of Chandler’s work that reconstructs both the context in which it was written and the social world or totality it projects. Chandler’s invariable setting, Los Angeles, appears both as a microcosm of the United States and a prefiguration of its future: a megalopolis uniquely distributed by an unpromising nature into a variety of distinct neighborhoods and private worlds. But this essentially urban and spatial work seems also to be drawn towards a vacuum, an absence that is nothing other than death. With Chandler, the thriller genre becomes metaphysical.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Raymond Chandler about?
The master of literary theory takes on the master of the detective novel
Raymond Chandler, a dazzling stylist and portrayer of American life, holds a unique place in literary history, straddling both pulp fiction and modernism. With The Big Sleep, published in 1939, he left an indelible imprint on the detective novel. Fredric Jameson offers an interpretation of Chandler’s work that reconstructs both the context in which it was written and the social world or totality it projects. Chandler’s invariable setting, Los Angeles, appears both as a microcosm of the United States and a prefiguration of its future: a megalopolis uniquely distributed by an unpromising nature into a variety of distinct neighborhoods and private worlds. But this essentially urban and spatial work seems also to be drawn towards a vacuum, an absence that is nothing other than death. With Chandler, the thriller genre becomes metaphysical.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Raymond Chandler?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism > Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers
Where can I read a sample of Raymond Chandler?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781784782160
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Raymond Chandler?
Fredric Jameson
Who is the Publisher of the book Raymond Chandler?
Verso Books
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Raymond Chandler is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781784782160) and paperback(ISBN 9781784782184) and ebook(ISBN 9781784782177)
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