David Damrosch Libros

Paperback reprint. Originally published: 2020.

The ancient Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh, composed around 1200 B.C., chronicles the adventures of a legendary hero from the Middle East. It explores themes of friendship, mortality, and the quest for fame. The epic was lost during the destruction of King Ashurbanipal's library in 600 B.C. but was rediscovered and deciphered in the nineteenth century, revealing its rich narrative and historical significance. This critical study delves into both the story and its tumultuous history, highlighting its enduring impact on literature and culture.

Exploring the vast landscape of world literature, this work spans several millennia and numerous languages, including cuneiform, hieroglyphics, low German, and Nahuatl. It offers a comprehensive perspective on literary evolution and cultural diversity, showcasing the rich tapestry of human expression across time and geography.

A transporting and illuminating voyage around the globe, through classic and modern literary works that are in conversation with one another and with the world around them Inspired by Jules Verne's hero Phileas Fogg, David Damrosch, chair of Harvard's Department of Comparative Literature and founder of Harvard's Institute for World Literature, set out to counter a pandemic's restrictions on travel by exploring eighty exceptional books from around the globe. Following a literary itinerary from London to Venice, Tehran and points beyond, and via authors from Woolf and Dante to Nobel prize winners Orhan Pamuk, Wole Soyinka, Mo Yan and Olga Tokarczuk, he explores how these works have shaped our idea of the world, and the ways the world bleeds into literature. To chart the expansive landscape of world literature today, Damrosch explores how writers live in two very different worlds: the world of their personal experience, and the world of books that have enabled great writers to give shape and meaning to their lives. In his literary cartography, Damrosch includes compelling contemporary works as well as perennial classics, hard-bitten crime fiction as well as haunting works of fantasy, and the formative tales that introduce us as children to the world we're entering. Taken together, these eighty titles offer us fresh perspective on perennial problems, from the social consequences of epidemics to the rising inequality that Thomas More designed Utopia to combat and the patriarchal structures within and against which many of these books' heroines have to struggle, from the work of Murasaki Shikibu a millennium ago to that of Margaret Atwood today. Around the World in 80 Books is a global invitation to look beyond ourselves and our surroundings, and to see our world and its literature in new ways

Exploring the complexities of academic life in the nineties, this book combines humor with a serious examination of evolving campus dynamics. It challenges the traditional notions of consensus in academic debate, urging readers to consider the value of engaging with differing viewpoints. By questioning how to learn from those with whom we may not agree, it highlights the necessity of diverse perspectives in fostering intellectual growth and understanding.

The modern university faces a paradox where an abundance of scholarly work results in minimal communication among scholars and with the public. David Damrosch examines this dilemma, exploring how academic institutions evolved into their current state. He provides a critical assessment of scholarship today and proposes reforms aimed at enhancing scholarly dialogue, ultimately striving for a more impactful and relevant academic discourse.

The new edition of this highly popular guide, How to Read World Literature, addresses the unique challenges and joys faced when approaching the literature of other cultures and eras.

Wspaniała książka, dowcipna, refleksyjna, kompetentna i pożyteczna, ujęta w formę fikcji, stawiająca pytania o literaturę i sugerująca drogi do uzyskania na nie odpowiedzi. Pokazuje... czym jest myślenie i skłania do myślenia. Tytuł pasuje doskonale: mowa tu o mityngach myśli, o spotkaniach, które w dzisiejszych czasach być może zdarzają się tylko w przestrzeni umysłu. Wyłącznie tak czujnego i tak podzielnego, jak umysł Davida Damroscha. Michael Wood