Novels of the Contemporary Extreme

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Description

This book investigates a new form of fiction that is currently emerging in contemporary literature across the globe. 'Novels of the contemporary extreme' - from North and South America, from Europe, and the Middle East - are set in a world both similar to and different from our own: a hyper real, often apocalyptic world progressively invaded by popular culture, permeated with technology and dominated by destruction. While their writing is commonly classified as 'hip' or 'underground' literature, authors of contemporary extreme novels have often been the center of public controversy and scandal; they, and their work, become international bestsellers. This collection of essays identifies and describes this international phenomenon, investigating the appeal of these novels' styles and themes, the reasons behind their success, and the fierce debates they provoked.

Reviews

"Durand and Mandel (both, Univ of Rhode Island) collect critical essays that analyze a particular kind of contemporary novel, "novels that do not merely reflect on violence [but] seek it out, engage it, and in a variety of imaginative ways, perform it." These essays provide a better understanding of the literary positioning and psychological framework of the contemporary extreme novel, both inside and outside the US." Summing up: Recommended- CHOICE February 2007
Mention in College Literature, Vol. 36.2, Spring 2009

Author Bio

Alain-Philippe Durand Professor of French and Director of the School of International Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (SILLC) at the University of Arizona, USA and Visiting Professor at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Florianpolis, Brazil. Naomi Mandel is Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of Rhode Island, USA.