Synopses & Reviews
In wide-ranging and innovative criticism, Stan Persky examines international non-fiction and fiction to engage with both the triumphs and tensions of reading and writing today. Evaluating works by established authors Philip Roth, Orhan Pamuk, J.M. Coetzee, and José Saramago, as well as emerging writers like Naomi Klein, Javier Cercas, and Chimamanda Adichie, Persky also showcases a remarkable group of reporters - Steve Coll, Dexter Filkins, and Rajiv Chandrasekaran - who have written essential books about global issues. An illuminating and accessible work about the present age, Reading the 21st Century introduces new ways of thinking about the world's most significant cultural, political, and moral problems.
Review
"There are many good things to say about Reading the 21st Century. It is personable, thoughtful, lively, cleanly and clearly written, amusing, and insightful. It is also up-to-date and serious." David Helwig, winner of the CBC Poetry Prize and the Atlantic Poetry Prize
Review
"I can't remember when I last read a book that so made me want to go out and buy / read just about every title listed or referred to. Moreover, I cannot think of another volume that covers such a range of material. The subject matter of these pages is truly the stuff of our daily newscasts and the daily lives of millions of people. Its comparative, trans-boundary character makes it especially appealing
a literate, lustrous, fascinating, and illuminating reading experience." Sean Conway, Queen's University
Synopsis
The first decade of the twenty-first century was noteworthy for war, terror, religious revival, economic collapse, and a technological revolution that prompted countless critical responses and gave rise to a paradox: writing flourished, but reading declined. Reading the 21st Century investigates the urgent themes, major works, and crisis of reading in an era of instant communication.
About the Author
Stan Persky is the author of numerous books, including the Hubert Evans Prize-winning The Short Version: An ABC Book. He teaches philosophy at Capilano University in North Vancouver.