What makes in america an object of interest is less its pageturning readability than its significance as the latest move in susan sontag s brilliant career in america is lush, multivoiced, womancentred and densely historical. In america by susan sontag in epub, fb2, fb3 download e book. Reviews of susan sontag s books regarding the pain of others reviwed by john leonard a coruscating sermon on how we picture suffering. Her best known works include on photography, against interpretation, styles of radical will, the way we live now, illness as metaphor, regarding the pain of others, the volcano lover and. Susan sontags novel follows the fortunes of a 19th century actress and her entourage. As she did in her enormously popular novel the volcano lover, susan sontag casts a. More about this book fiction winner national book awards 2000. See all books authored by susan sontag, including on photography, and regarding the pain of others, and more on. She is also the author of four novels, a collection of stories and several plays. Susan sontag, the dark lady of american intellectual life for over four decades, has died of cancer. In america by susan sontag, first edition, signed abebooks. Sontag was a tall, handsome, fluent and articulate woman.
Susan sontag has resisted the lure to write an intellectual novel a little too well with in america. The making of an icon2000, which appeared several months after in america, suggests that the novels sources are even. Susan sontag books list of books by author susan sontag. It is sontag s most delicious, most brilliant achievement. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. As she did in her enormously popular novel the volcano lover, susan sontag casts a story located in the past in a fresh, provocative light to create a fictional world full of contemporary resonance.
A champion of america s great writers and timeless works, library of america guides readers in finding and exploring the exceptional writing that reflects the nations history and culture. January 16, 1933 december 28, 2004 was an american writer, filmmaker, philosopher, teacher, and political activist. Susan sontag 19332004 was the author of four novels, the benefactor, death kit, the volcano lover, and in america, which won the 2000 national book award for fiction. In america by susan sontag, first edition, signed abebooks passion for books. Susan sontag, american intellectual and writer best known for her essays on modern culture. Susan sontag was one of america s great public intellectuals. Richard lourie, washington post book world surefooted and wonderfully daring. A readers anthology edited by mindy aloff spanning two centuries, 100 selections about the beauty and magic of american dancefrom ballet and balanchine to tap and swing. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. In 1876 a group of poles led by maryna zalewska, polands greatest actr. Boasting some of the most gorgeous prose ever committed to print, it is bursting with heartfelt yearning and promise for the future as it traces the path taken by the celebrated stage actress maryna and her community of friends, who embittered by their history of.
January 16, 1933 december 28, 2004 was an american writer and lmmaker, teacher and political activist, publishing her rst major work, the essay notes on camp, in 1964. I had never read susan sontag before but in america is historical fiction, with the heavy emphasis on fiction, done right. In america by susan sontag and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. It is sontags most delicious, most brilliant achievement.
A skilful new life of susan sontag captures her radical selfinventions and dazzling ideas. While this book does not exert the passionate energy of the volcano lover, it is a provocative study of a womans. In 1876 a group of poles led by maryna zalezowska, polands greatest actress, emigrate to the united states and travel to. Susan sontag is the internationally acclaimed author of three novels, a volume of stories, and six collections of essays.
As we confront the inauguration of a bawdy president, indecorous, undignified and illiberal, many among usamerican liberals in particularhave been tempted to ask. The heart of the story is sontag s account of marynas conquest of america. An unprecedented collection of the controversial later writings of the greatest and most provocative critic of our time. The drama in this book was underplayed so its not an entertaining read in the conventional sense. Susan sontag bullied her lover, snapper to the stars annie leibovitz, mercilessly, telling her, youre so dumb, youre so dumb, a searingly honest book about sontag s life reveals. A writer, a critic, an ethicist, filmmaker and activist sontag had a large part in shaping 20thcentury american culture. The book rests now with others that i would like to pass on to minds that can engage in a more static structure.
Susan sontag, whose political prescience has been duly noted, asked and answered this same question 50 years ago. In america is a kaleidoscopic portrait of america on the cusp of modernity. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It is also, if one looks for glimpses and hints, one of the more personal of sontag s many books. As she did in the volcano lover, sontag crafts a novel of ideas in which real figures from the past enact their lives against an assiduously researched, almost. Susan sontag mercilessly bullied lover annie leibovitz. Susan sontag only wrote two novels, both of them historical, and her sense of character, her ability to bring to life such a wacky crew of intelligentsia utopians, is to be treasured. In 1990 she received a fiveyear fellowship from the macarthur foundation. In america is a big, juicy, surprising audiobook about a womans search for selftransformation, about the fate of idealism, about the world of the theater that will captivate listeners from the first chapter. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library. The heart of the story is sontags account of marynas conquest of america. Her bestknown works include on photography, against interpretation, styles of radical will, the way we live now.
It is a fitting start to the story of a group of poles who travel to anaheim, california in 1876 to establish a utopian community. This book i found to be more challenging than the first chapter appeared to promise. Sontag of course has done our homework for us, her usual archaeology. Susan sontag was born in manhattan in 1933 and studied at the universities of chicago, harvard and oxford. As she did in her enormously popular novel the volcano lover, susan sontag casts. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading in america. However, a reading of carl rollyson and lisa paddocks susan sontag. Susan sontags national book award winning in america is a beautifully written but complex if not difficult novel of ideas. Her nonfiction works include against interpretation, on photography, illness as metaphor, aids and its metaphors and regarding the pain of others. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. She attended the university of california at berkeley for one year and then transferred to the university of. David rieff on how his mother, susan sontag, lived as a citizen of the republic of letters. Susan sontag was the most influential critic of her time. Polands national treasure, actress maryna zalezowska, decides to leave her profession to come to america with a group of friends to try communal farming.
Susan sontag s national book award winning in america is a beautifully written but complex if not difficult novel of ideas. In this novel about poland and america, acting and living, transformation and respiration, susan sontag has indeed found a story that tells many stories with elan, intelligence and delight. She mostly wrote essays, but also published novels. It is based on the true story of polish actress helena modjeska called maryna zalewska in the book, her arrival in california in 1876, and her ascendancy to american stardom. In america is a big, juicy, surprising book about a womans search for selftransformation, about the fate of idealism, about the world of the theaterthat will captivate its readers from the first page. That sontag was a novel about the nineteeth century commune of the great polish actress helena modjeska in the era of bernhardt. Regarding the pain of others susan sontag macmillan. In america book by susan sontag 7 available editions. This second volume in library of america s definitive sontag edition gathers all the collected essays and speeches. The new york times books susan sontag obituary, book.
98 187 674 1505 727 830 1260 1634 268 1398 258 1296 15 517 626 723 1267 1018 1311 431 742 299 1325 511 717 1485 59 911 347 376 882 1301 38 1022 1199 300