Product Description

A controversial, complicated and difficult concept to grasp, postmodernism is nevertheless a thrilling intellectual adventure and Introducing Postmodernism provides the ideal guide. It helps unwravel and explain the ideas that have been used to definte the world's cultural condition over the last three decades. It goes back to the roots in art, politics, history and philosophy and iexamines some of Postmodernisms biggest names - from Jackson Pollock to Foucault, Warhol to Fukuyama.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #197007 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-29
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

From AudioFile
Uniquely British, this guide takes listeners on a quirky ride from the origins of postmodernism to its present state of influence. Two young British socialites are alternately excited and scandalized by the production's sound-effects-and-music-laden tour of postmodern art, which includes discussion of the artists' motivations and eccentricities, as well as their ground-breaking work. Narrator and cast careen through the philosophy and practice of postmodernism, negotiating humorous twists and audio jokes with flair and clarity. While the young Brits sometimes claim that they'd prefer a nice cup of cocoa to looking at Marcel Duchamp's startling creations, this audiobook manages to entertain and instruct in a distinctly theatric postmodern style. D.J.B. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About the Author
Richard Appignanesi is a novelist, editor and publisher, and a Research Fellow at King's College London. He is the originating editor of the Introducing series.

Chris Garratt is an illustrator. He is the cartoonist behind the legendary 'Biff' comic strip in the Guardian. Ziauddin Sardar is a hugely renowned writer, broadcaster, journalist and critic. 'Britain's own Muslim polymath' (Independent) has become one of the UK's leading intellectuals and writes on a huge variety of subjects in numerous newspapers and magazines throughout the world. He is also Visiting Professor of Postcolonial Studies at the City University, London.

Patrick Curry is a freelance writer and historian living in London. His interests include the history of astrology, literary criticism, politics and ecology.

Customer Reviews

It isn't the best book I have read on the subject, but does a pretty good job of presenting complex concepts in a simple way...
"Introducing Postmodernism", by Richard Appignanesi, is just as its name suggests, a good basic introduction to Postmodernism. This small and engaging book traces the origins of the concept and its evolution, from the points of view of theory, art and science. Truth to be told, it isn't the best book I have read on the subject, but does a pretty good job of presenting complex concepts in a simple way, and giving you a general idea of what Postomodernism is about.

If that is what you are looking for, this is likely to be the book for you. In case you need or want to know more, you will need to read other books too, but this would be nonetheless an adequate starting point. From my point of view, "Introducing Postmodernism" is worth your time. Recommended :)

Belen Alcat, May 2007

Introducing A Book Review
The book is the best short treatment of recent intellectual currents in western thought that I have read. It is especially applicable to the U.S. in the quotation: "The crux of postmodernity is that there are two 'presents'." One is a 'spectre' present, a Virtual Reality techno-media simulacrum that makes the other 'real' present appear borderline, fugitive, elusive." T.R. Cattan

5 Into 2 Won't Go
Many readers are put off by the very idea of serious works being reduced to a comic book format. I'm not. My experience with the Classic Comic Books of old was a good one and helped stimulate me into a more conventional direction later on. It should be admitted, however, that some serious topics are more suited to that format than others. In this case, the authors' section on postmodern art is well suited as it traces the evolution of visual styles over the preceding decades. There is much to learn here. But this asset, I'm afraid, is simply outweighed by the other two sections. These deal with topics that likely defy the most skillful of conversion attempts. Put briefly, rendering the postmodern theory of these two sections into skimpy simplifying text along with none-to-helpful graphics is almost like rendering quantum theory into a serious discussion between Ren & Stimpy. The material is simply too refractory. The authors' effort represents an honorable failure; and a task made no easier by the fact that the rhetoric of many of PoMo's leading exponents has itself been exposed as empty and inflated. (Sokal & Bricmont's, *Fashionable Nonsense*) Still, whatever its ultimate worth, I think PoMo is worth pursuing since it does capture the Zeitgeist of two key contemporary trends: consumerism and globalization. More text, however, is required by any effective introduction. So, at your own risk.