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Cultural Amnesia: Necessary Memories from History and the Arts Hardcover – March 17, 2007

by Clive James (Author)

154

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Forty years in the making, a new cultural canon that celebrates truth over hypocrisy, literature over totalitarianism.

Echoing Edward Said’s belief that “Western humanism is not enough, we need a universal humanism,” the renowned critic Clive James presents here his life’s work. Containing over one hundred original essays, organized by quotations from A to Z, Cultural Amnesia illuminates, rescues, or occasionally destroys the careers of many of the greatest thinkers, humanists, musicians, artists, and philosophers of the twentieth century. In discussing, among others, Louis Armstrong, Walter Benjamin, Sigmund Freud, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Franz Kafka, Marcel Proust, and Ludwig Wittgenstein, James writes, “If the humanism that makes civilization civilized is to be preserved into the new century, it will need advocates. These advocates will need a memory, and part of that memory will need to be of an age in which they were not yet alive.” Soaring to Montaigne-like heights, Cultural Amnesia is precisely the book to burnish these memories of a Western civilization that James fears is nearly lost.

Print length

912 pages
Language

English
Publisher

W. W. Norton & Company
Publication date

March 17, 2007
Dimensions

6.5 x 1.8 x 9.5 inches
ISBN-10

0393061167
ISBN-13

978-0393061161
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. From Anna Akhmatova to Stefan Zweig, Tacitus to Margaret Thatcher, this scintillating compendium of 110 new biographical essays plumbs the responsibilities of artists, intellectuals and political leaders. British critic James (Visions Before Midnight) structures each entry as a brief life sketch followed by quotations that spark an appreciation, a condemnation or a tangent (a piece on filmmaker Terry Gilliam veers into a discussion of torturers' pleasure in their work). Sometimes, as in his salute to Tony Curtis's acting or his savage assault on bebop legend John Coltrane's penchant for "subjecting some helpless standard to ritual murder," James's purpose is just bravura opinionating. But most articles are linked by a defense of liberal humanism against totalitarianisms of the left and right—and ideologues who champion them. He lionizes prewar Vienna's martyred Jewish cafe intellectuals; castigates French apologists for communism—especially Sartre, who "could sound as if he was talking about everything while saying nothing"; and chides Borges for not noticing Argentina's descent into fascism. This theme can grow intrusive; even in an entry on children's author Beatrix Potter, he feels called upon to denounce Soviet children's books. But James's brilliantly aphoristic prose, full of aesthetic insights but careful not to let aesthetics obscure morality, makes for a delightful browse suffused with a potent message. Photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine

For more than 40 years a critic, writer, and public personality, the Australian-born Clive James, prolific author of Unreliable Memoirs, The Meaning of Recognition, and North Face of Soho, among many other books, has garnered a well-deserved reputation as "an eclectic master of the high/low" (Los Angeles Times). James's wide-ranging intellect is on display here in a big way: "doorstop" appears more than once in reviews of the book. Fortunately, the book moves alongthanks to the author's deft prose, his keen sense of humor, and his ability to connect a host of disparate subjects. Though the book clearly isn't meant to be read straight through, even those skeptical of James's agenda admire the scope of the undertaking. Red flags: the seeming randomness of some of James's entries, his digressions, and his inclusion of fewer than a dozen women (including Coco Chanel and Margaret Thatcher) on the list.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* As of This Writing (2003) showcased the range and brilliance of James' criticism. In this towering volume, the fruit of 40 years of passionate involvement, James proves to be a consummate writer of biographical essays. Motivated by concern that we are losing track of the great thinkers and creators of the last century and forgetting the true nature of humanism, the force that "makes civilization civilized," James explicates the accomplishments of more than 100 seminal artists, writers, composers, and philosophers. The dream capital of James' republic of culture is Vienna during the heyday of cafe society, and his guiding light is the Viennese polymath Egon Friedell (1878-1938). James' remembrance of his hero is at once electrifying and profoundly moving, and so it is throughout this magnificent, soulful, and unpredictable assemblage. Where else might a reader come upon side-by-side considerations of Albert Camus and Dick Cavett? Coco Chanel and Charlie Chaplin? James also writes incisively and entertainingly of Miles Davis, Erik Satie, and Beatrix Potter. His knowledge is encompassing, his interpretations provocative. James not only preserves culture and nurtures humanism but also revitalizes the beauty and power of the English language. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Clever, and funny.a wonderful book for a long afternoon in a left-bank cafe, or a transatlantic plane ride. -- Robert McCrum, The Observer

On virtually every page, there is an arresting sentence, witty or profound. -- Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday Book of the Week

Reading Cultural Amnesia is like taking a warm bath in Clive's brain-juicesLike Walt Whitman, he is large; he contains multitudes. -- Evening Standard, Johann Hari

About the Author

Clive James (1939―2019), author of the best-selling Cultural Amnesia and Poetry Notebook, was an Officer of the Order of Australia and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. His writing appeared in the New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company (March 17, 2007)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 912 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0393061167
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393061161
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.8 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.8 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,008,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #260 in African Literature (Books)
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- #3,656 in Essays (Books)

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4.3 out of 5

154 global ratings

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C-Dub

Stretched my horizons

Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2009

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I read this book a few months ago but cannot stop thinking about it -- the very antithesis of Cultural Amnesia.

There are several things i found memorable about this book and Clive James' writing style. First, it was completely unpredictable. He might begin an essay with one quote or pretext that would imply a central idea, and then he would veer off in another direction entirely. Somehow, he is able to accomplish this misdirection without seeming erratic. In several cases, i felt a genuine epiphany as it dawned upon me what he was getting at.

Second, he mixes in many relatively obscure (at least they were obscure for me) figures from history, particularly from 20th Century France and Germany. It is refreshing to discover some unusual figures in history that have escaped broader attention yet still had a measurable impact, for good or ill.

Third, the prose is rich yet remains efficient. Each sentence is constructed deliberately and serves a necessary purpose. The wit is quick, recalling the best of Winston Churchill. The heft of the book is because it is mostly muscle, with little fat.

In short, it is readable and a revelation. A rare combination.

The book does have its flaws: James revisits a few themes (i.e., the Nazi occupation of France) a few too many times, and sometimes it feels like he is intentionally dredging up obscure figures merely to show that he can -- but perhaps his "necessary memories" are a little different than i would choose. All in all, a solid book.

6 people found this helpful

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C. Greg Freeman

Brilliant

Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2011

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I am currently a little over halfway through reading this book, and already it has had me reaching for more and more information. In fact, while reading this book, I picked up a copy of The Rebel by Albert Camus, finished it entirely, and also attempted to read War and Peace by Tolstoy. I gave up 500 pages into War and Peace, but I was able to understand James' references to it later on in the text.

There were several moments where James caught me entirely off-guard with his stealth humor, and many of his essays are very enlightening. I loved his essay on Duke Ellington, for instance, because I've danced to his music for years and knew only a small amount of the peripheral knowledge of the time that James has to offer.

So far, his essay on Georg Christoph Lichtenberg has been my favorite of the bunch. He, lucidly and beautifully, got to the essence of writing, carrying a theme all the way to the decadence of contemporary pornagraphy. He includes details that a more cautious and less confident writer would have dropped, and those details were not there for the shock value but to reinforce the point.

I will probably re-read several of these essays due to the depth that some of them contain. This book has inspired me to learn much more due to the stories he tells and the connections he makes.

6 people found this helpful

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Chazz

If you like culture and politics this is a great book

Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2019

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Great book for by Aussie Ex Patfor the "Throne".2-4 pages about Australian Journalist to Austrin Poets to Russian Ballerinas.A Polymath of language and culture there is a heavy emphasis on the European culture destroyed by WW2.You have the Biggies like Hitler and Stalin but you get the people down the line like French collaborators and (Sartre was poseur compared to Camus.Neither were very heroic in the Resistance but at least Camus didn't point fingers like Sartre).Very influenced by the template set down by Jame's hero Gore Vidal.Enjoyable

3 people found this helpful

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Francis O Walker

Foliage galore but wanting in fruit

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2021

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Georg Lichtenberg, one of the many subjects in this extended ramble, wrote: "Sometimes men come by the name of genius in the same way that certain insects come by the name of centipede; not because they have one hundred feet but because most people cannot count above fourteen. " In the 27 pages on this philosopher, Clive manages to name 115 authors, cinematographers and actors, 52 literary characters, and over 60 titles. Later, writing about Montesquieu, he remarks how often he has reread the Amis novel "Lucky Jim" because no one remembers the details of a book after one year--hence, perhaps, the name of this book, which is a desperate fight against his own inescapable conclusion. Good material is not lacking-- but finding it is more of a chore than a pleasure.

2 people found this helpful

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scatback43

Necessary Memories

Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2018

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My bedside reading. OK, so James is proud of his ability to pick up Sanscrit over a weekend, and doesn't always treat the subject the essay is allegedly about (viz. his piece on Montesquieu - which isn't really on Montesquieu at all). Still, James at his best is one of the great essayists of this or any century. If you want to know what it was like as Red Vienna crumbled to the Nazi's and the Jewish literati were confronted with a life and death choices, read James and ask yourself, as he intends, what you would have done?

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Dr Merry

A moment in time now past... interesting to read...

Reviewed in Germany on February 19, 2021

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delivery and quality excellent.... thank you to all..

Nick Dorogavtsev

Such a gem!

Reviewed in Australia on February 22, 2024

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Fantastic book. Getting back to it a lot :-)

The South Seas cruiser

Thank you Clive

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 12, 2014

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I love Clive - he shaped my life. It's so great to sit down and read a thinking person. Intelligence and calm wit ... and all the time, that wonderful voice in your head. Thank you Clive.

One person found this helpful

bernardrodgers

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 16, 2018

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Brilliant book delivered quickly, just as described

Amazon Customer

An amazing A-Z of our western cultural history - one of Australia's greatest intellectuals

Reviewed in Australia on November 7, 2022

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This remains one of the most erudite, interesting and engaging books I have ever read. I am amazed at the skill and breadth of CJ and his humour always gives me a wry chuckle. This book now has more annotations than any other book I have in my library- enough said

One person found this helpful

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