Introduction to Contemporary American Fiction

by Bilton, Alan

• ISBN13: 9780814799123
• ISBN10: 0814799124
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-10-01
• Publisher: New York University Press

Summary

Don DeLillo, Paul Auster, Cormac McCarthy, Rolando Hinojosa, E. Annie Proulx, Bret Easton Ellis, Douglas Coupland, and Thomas Pynchon:An Introduction to Contemporary American Fictionintroduces the work of a range of key American authors, all of whom can be said to engage with postmodernism. Exploring the vitality and energy of contemporary writing in light of pessimistic proclamations on the state of postmodern American culture, Bilton highlights the tension between "realistic" description and linguistic self-consciousness in contemporary fiction.In addition, by addressing a central problem in literary theory--its neglect of literary discussion and the practice of reading--An Introduction to Contemporary American Fictionis able to present a working model for reading a text theoretically.As an introductory text, it assumes no prior knowledge of the authors of the novels discussed. To encourage understanding and aid further study, the following features are included:* GLOSSARY OF CRITICAL AND LITERARY TERMS * BIBLIOGRAPHY OF EACH AUTHOR'S WORKS * BIOGRAPHY OF EACH AUTHOR * GUIDE TO FURTHER READING * THEMATIC AND AUTHOR INDICES

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Short Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms	ix
Introduction	1	(14)
Postmodernism and contemporary fiction: an introductory bibliography	15	(2)
Don DeLillo	17	(34)
Biography	41	(2)
DeLillo on DeLillo	43	(1)
Links to other authors	44	(1)
Reading early DeLillo	45	(1)
Bibliography	46	(5)
Paul Auster	51	(43)
Biography	88	(1)
Auster on Auster	89	(1)
Links to other authors	90	(1)
Bibliography	91	(3)
Cormac McCarthy	94	(45)
Biography	130	(1)
Approaches to Cormac McCarthy	131	(4)
Links to other authors	135	(1)
Bibliography	136	(3)
Rolando Hinojosa	139	(25)
Hinojosa on Hinojosa	143	(15)
Biography	158	(1)
Links to other authors	159	(1)
Reading the Klail City Death Trip series	160	(2)
Bibliography	162	(2)
E. Annie Proulx	164	(31)
Biography	191	(1)
Proulx on Proulx	192	(1)
Links to other authors	192	(1)
Bibliography	193	(2)
Bret Easton Ellis	195	(25)
Biography	214	(2)
Ellis on Ellis	216	(1)
Jean Baudrillard	217	(1)
Links to other authors	217	(1)
Bibliography	218	(2)
Douglas Coupland	220	(20)
Biography	235	(2)
Couplandisms	237	(1)
Links to other authors	237	(1)
Bibliography	238	(2)
Conclusion: Thomas Pynchon's Mason & Dixon	240	(9)
Bibliography	247	(2)
Thematic Index	249	(4)
Index by Author	253