Acts and Shadows [Textbook Binding]

Philip K. Jason (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0847699579 | ISBN-13: 978-0847699575

The imaginative literature of the Vietnam War participates--both overtly and covertly--in a struggle for national memory. First-generation Vietnam War literature, focusing on representations of combat and life in the battlefield, strove to give testimony, to write history. Later writings, in their range of genre and style, investigate and interrogate the very meaning of war--and ultimately reveal the deep and far-reaching impact of the Vietnam experience on the American psyche. To reflect these two stages, Philip Jason divides his newest book of literary criticism into two sections: 'acts' and 'shadows.' In 'Acts,' Jason provides formal and cultural readings of combat narratives--by such authors as James Webb, Larry Heinemann, and Joe Haldeman--and explores the meaning of 'authenticity' as applied to Vietnam War texts. 'Shadows' looks both forward and backward from the combat zone, challenging the parameters of what we define as 'Vietnam War literature.' Jason brings to the fore the literary treatment of Vietnamese Americans; he explores the representation of the war in contemporary detective fiction, focusing on the work of James Lee Burke; and he raises questions of genre and canon by placing Korean War and Vietnam War fiction side by side. Two final chapters on teaching the literature of the Vietnam War make this book a particularly useful reference for teachers. As a new contribution to the contemporary debates on authority, authenticity, and canonicity, Acts and Shadows is crucial reading for scholars and students of American literature in the twentieth century and beyond.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Jason offers a brief, straightforward, easily accessible introduction to many of the main themes and works of Vietnam War literature. (Kent Blaster )

The lasting value of Acts and Shadows is that Jason unveils how myth, gender, and race interact in post-Vietnam heroes in American literature, both the frightening paramilitary side as well as the regenerative healing side. . . . Whether you know a great deal about the Vietnam war or not, Philip Jason will teach you something. Buy this book. (South Atlantic Review )

For the novice of the expert, Philip K. Jason's Acts and Shadows offers an erudite and thoroughgoing survey of representations of the war in American literature. (Contemporary Literature )

Philip K. Jason shows off his wide knowledge of Vietnam War literature in Acts and Shadows. (The Vva Veteran )

About the Author

Philip K. Jason is professor of English at the United States Naval Academy. He is the author or editor of numerous critical works on American literature and of three collections of poetry.

Product Details

• Textbook Binding: 192 pages
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (July 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847699579
• ISBN-13: 978-0847699575
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,862,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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