A Derrida Dictionary (Paperback)

~ Niall Lucy (Author) "A Greek term denoting a logical contradiction, 'aporia' is used by Derrida to refer to what he often calls the 'blind spots' of any metaphysical..." (more)
Key Phrases: postal metaphor, emancipatory desire, permanent requirement, United States, Specters of Marx, Evil Emperor Zurg (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Writing for fans of Dylan, Eastwood, Eminem, and Lou Reed, no less than for readers of Freud, Heidegger, and Nietzsche, Lucy catalogues the ways Derrida has rocked words to their alphabetic core. There is sharpness, wit, and high seriousness in every entry." Peggy Kamuf, University of Southern California <!--end-->

"Niall Lucy has written a witty, incisive, timely and highly topical dictionary that deftly characterizes the most important entries in Derrida's lexicon. The book is chock full of references to contemporary film, music and politics and spares us the tediousness of trying to formalize ideas whose very idea is that they cannot be formalized. In addition to making for an insightful read and a pleasurable ride, Lucy does a good job of redefining what a “dictionary” is supposed to mean. A saucy, sparkling success." John D. Caputo, Villanova University

"Lucy brings and ironic, iconoclastic, and earthy approach to his teask... Entries are cleverly focused so that major terms and concepts get full attention ... Lucy is unpretentious and plain speaking... This is a well worthwhile purchase for the library where Derrida comes as new and rather threatening to students." Reference Reviews

Product Description

This Dictionary offers points of entry into Derrida’s complex and extensive works.

• This Dictionary offers points of entry into Derrida’s complex and extensive works.
  
• From ‘aporia’ to ‘yes’, the Dictionary suggests ways into Derrida that show what is at stake in his work.
  
• Demonstrates that Derrida is not just about philosophy, but also about politics and pop music.
  
• Explains why deconstruction matters, and how Derrida can change the way you think.
  
• The A-Z entries are framed by essays on the inherent interdisciplinarity of Derrida’s work and on Derrida’s relationship to a range of other thinkers.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell (February 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0631218432
• ISBN-13: 978-0631218432
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,263,258 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Redundant, annoyingly clever, too hip for its own good, August 12, 2008

By	Sagan Lazar "Sagan Lazar" (In yo monitor) - See all my reviews

First, read the effusive praises by Kamuf and Caputo-- theirs are located right below the book title. If that's enough for you, by all means buy the book. Obviously, I see things a bit differently.

Once something becomes big enough, popular enough (and in poor Derrida's case, solely by reputation of sheer impenetrability it would seem!!) to warrant a dictionary, it has probably already been abducted by, or inducted into, or infiltrated by the forces of, the Dark Side. 'Vaderized'.

This ain't your dad's dictionary. And that's not necessarily good news -- unless you are one of those super unconventional, artistically groovy people who understand that an understanding of anything only comes from the thing's textually deconstructed action in some sooon-to-be-decon'd context by way of some disavowed third thing. So, no definitions here. See Caputo's praise above.

Alrighty then. I'll tell you what, let me just take a sample. Here is an "entry" under 'W' on WRITING:

"As I start this sentence I am not absolutely sure how it will end. The only way I could have known exactly where I was going with that sentence (or any sentence) would be if I had a crystal ball, if somehow I could see into the future. Since I don't believe in clairvoyance, I don't believe anyone can see what hasn't happened yet. And every time anyone sits down to write a sentence (or to compose one mentally), the end remains to come; whatever 'happens' happens later, even if the interval between the beginning and the end lasts only for a split second."

Jee~~Zuss.

The entire book is more or less like this, with certain words -- that Derrida used often, such as EVENT, PRESENCE, IDENTITY, etc -- printed in BOLD (again, with no definition) so you can "trace" the word and cross reference the same in some other... con-text, that is.
Or,if you like, CON T ex(i)T.

If all this sounds good to you, by all means get it.
Personally, when I buy something I expect the thing to be what it claims to be. In this case, this thing claims to be a dictionary. But it's something else... something entirely unpalatable.
Well, I don't know about you, but I don't particularly relish the "radical" idea that a box of cereal could just as easily turn out to be a rectilinearly rigid sack of dried sh_it.

I am just glad dentists don't (mis)read Derrida. "By ROOT CANAL, we mean the bite marks you left on your toast this morning so we can (dis)locate the KHORA of MAN-dibular mastication by which your tongue re-enacts the geometry of speech without actually speaking."

Excessively hip people who love books like this, seem to thrive on some very bad misconstrual of Derrida's notion of HOSPITALITY -- they allow themselves so generously to put out bad books, and abuse good Jacques' name AND hospitality. Poor Jacky.