Barthes: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) [Paperback]

Jonathan Culler (Author)

Book Description

Series: Very Short Introductions | Publication Date: May 16, 2002

Roland Barthes was the leading figure of French Structuralism, the theoretical movement of the 1960s which revolutionized the study of literature and culture, as well as history and psychoanalysis. But Barthes was a man who disliked orthodoxies. His shifting positions and theoretical interests make him hard to grasp and assess. This book surveys Barthes' work in clear, accessible prose, highlighting what is most interesting and important in his work today. In particular, the book describes the many projects, which Barthes explored and which helped to change the way we think about a range of cultural phenomena--from literature, fashion, wrestling, and advertising to notions of the self, of history, and of nature.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`Review from other book by this author It is impossible to imagine a clearer treatment of the subject, or one that is, within the given limits of length, more comprehensive. Culler has always been remarkable for his expository skills, and here he has found exactly the right method and tone for his purposes.' Sir Frank Kermode

About the Author

Jonathan Culler is Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Cornell University and a leading figure in the world of literary theory. Praised by Frank Kermode for his 'remarkable expository skills', his publications include seminal works on deconstruction and semiology as well as studies of individual authors. HisVSI Literary Theory is the series bestseller with sales of 40,000 copies to date.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; Revised edition (May 16, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192801597
• ISBN-13: 978-0192801593
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #817,742 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise Introduction to a Wide-Ranging Mind, April 6, 2009

By 

Kevin L. Nenstiel "omnivore" (Kearney, Nebraska) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Barthes: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) (Kindle Edition)

Culler compresses Roland Barthes' scholarly arc to a readable length, allowing us to grasp his development in a way that would take years of study if we rely on original texts. Since Barthes' work covered literature, cultural criticism, politics, sexual customs, and more, this summary is necessary to find what specialized scholars need from his corpus. Collating Barthes' varied thought experiments into a lucid narrative lets us isolate ideas useful to scholarly goals, focusing our productivity rather than flinging ourselves at the mass of Barthes' work.

Readable in plain English yet intellectually dense, Culler's summation is a great place to begin in Barthes study, especially for time-strapped readers. Copious citations and a thorough appendix of Barthes' works allow convenient cross-reference and simplify the selection of appropriate sources. New content discussing how Barthes' reputation has fared after his death updates the content through the year 2002. I recommend Culler's introduction for its clear, cogent, straightforward approach to a painfully subtle mind.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brief review of a brief outline of a man of many parts..., October 27, 2009

By 

Mark Nadja "Literary Outlaw, author *Hardcore... (New York City) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Barthes: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) (Paperback)

Organizing this overview by utilizing the conceit that Barthes was an intellectual of varied--often paradoxical--parts, Jonathan Culler breaks down his analysis of Barthes by devoting a chapter to each of these parts, one after another. The result is to make clear what might otherwise have seemed a hopeless muddle of the many reversals, contradictions, and theoretical leap-frogging that Barthes engaged in during a long career of dodging easy characterization. Yet in spite of the elementary a-b-c format, there is enough meat on this bare-bones outline of Barthes body of work to satisfy the beginner and leave him with an appetite for more. A good little guide with which to familiarize yourself with this seminal semiologist, structuralist, post structuralist, hedonist, et al.