ISBN: Ostalo
Godina izdanja: 2012
Jezik: Engleski
Autor: Strani

Sincerity: How a Moral Ideal Born Five Hundred Years Ago Inspired Religious Wars, Modern Art, Hipster Chic, and the Curious Notion That We All Have Something to Say (No Matter How Dull)
by Magill Jr., R. Jay (Author)

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A Wall Street Journal Top-Ten Nonfiction Book of 2012 and a New York Times Editors` Choice


A cultural and intellectual history of sincerity, from its emergence during the Protestant Reformation to its present incarnations and adversaries.

People have long been duped by `straight-talking` politicians, confessional talk-show hosts, and fake-earnest advertisers. As sincerity has become suspect, the upright and honest have taken refuge in irony. Yet our struggle for authenticity in back-to-the-woods movements, folksy songwriting, and a craving for plainspoken presidential candidates betrays our longing for the holy grail of sincerity.

Bringing deep historical perspective and a brilliant contemporary spin to Lionel Trilling`s 1972 Sincerity and Authenticity, R. Jay Magill Jr. argues that we can`t shake sincerity`s deep theological past, emotional resonance, and the sense of conscience it has carved in the Western soul. From Protestant theology to paintings by crazy people, from French satire to the anti-hipster movement, Magill navigates history, religion, art, and politics to create a portrait of an ideal that, despite its abuse, remains a strange magnetic north in our secular moral compass. 10 illustrations

Review

`This is a book that adds sincerity to the list of modern qualities worth serious attention, offering nuanced definitions and a solid connection between past causation and current manifestations. It casts new light on modern art broadly construed, amplifying some of the key interactions and tensions between popular arts and the wider society.` (Peter N. Stearns, Provost, George Mason University, in The American Interest)

`Energetic...well-researched...Magill proves most lively as he brings the reader up to date; his Hipster Semiotic Appendix demonstrates his acuity and sense of humor.` (Publishers Weekly)

`A sophisticated meditation...a rewarding read...[Magill writes with]
scholarliness, humor, and humanity....Two recently deceased men who knew about sincerity and silliness, Christopher Hitchens and Maurice Sendak, would approve of the whole enterprise....Anti-intellectuals need not apply.` (Library Journal)

`An illumination of the shifting attitudes and ambivalence toward a value that society claims to hold in high esteem....Sincerity proves to be a richer topic than readers might initially suspect.` (Kirkus Reviews)

`A charming and thought-provoking account of the concept [of sincerity], from its theological origins to its (more contested) role in contemporary culture....Magill`s analysis is provocative and penetrating.` (Glenn C. Altschuler, The Oregonian)

`Fascinating. . . . Mr. Magill`s range is extraordinary, and his wit, erudition and powers of observation give credence to [his] judgments.` (Daniel Akst - Wall Street Journal )

`Intriguing. . . . Magill agilely traces his subject through the ages.` (Rachel Shteir - New Republic )

“Sincerity is a serious and engaging cultural history painted on an admirably large canvas, yet Magill is careful not to take himself too seriously, as evidenced in his snarky asides and chatty footnotes. He wraps up on an eminently reasonable note: society needs both sincerity and insincerity. You can’t go too far in either direction: neither the frothy superficiality of court society nor the deadly purposefulness of the French Revolution. Who can argue with that?” (Laura Kipnis - New York Times Book Review )

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About the Author
R. Jay Magill, Jr. is an independent scholar living in Berlin, where he works for the American Academy as a writer and editor, as well as a host of a radio program on NPR Worldwide. He is the author of Chic Ironic Bitterness (2007), and Sincerity (2012). A former Harvard teaching fellow and executive editor of DoubleTake, Magill has written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Atlantic Monthly, Foreign Policy, American Prospect, Boston Globe, Der Spiegel, and Print, among others. Magill is also a staff illustrator at the political bimonthly The American Interest. He lives in Berlin with his wife and son.

Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (July 16, 2012)
Language: English









tags:
lajonel triling etika autentičnost i iskrenost ... religijski ratovi moderna umetnost hipsteri karl gustav jung arhetip ... propast zapada osvald spengler ...