Product Description: Postmodernism seemed to promise an end to the grim Cold War era of nuclear confrontation and oppressive ideologies. This expanded edition brilliantly elucidates this hall of mirrors with Richard Appignanesi's witty and easy-to-follow text and the inspired cartoonist Chris Garratt.
The Torrential Stream of Postmodernism (Don't Let The Pictures Fool You) Postmodernism impacts our approach to the arts, our understanding of history, and our understanding of faith. The Introduction to Posmodernism presents a torrential stream of modern and postmodern thinkers and the boundaries they have bent and broken in order to redefine human reality and existence for the past century. Recently I have been watching how postmodernity and faith interact. More often than not postmodernity seems to be the jackhammer philosophy ready to make a go at the bedrock in God's Truth - "the word made flesh."
The "word made flesh" and "truth" in the Biblical sense are terms postmoderns avoid. Logocentrism strives to perfectly represent the world through reason and the perfect "word.". This rational (man centered) approach to words can never reveal the perfection it seeks (the word made flesh). Harold Bloom's latest book, "Jesus and Yahweh: The Names Divine," presents a logocentric quest for Christ. Bloom seeks legitimization for belief through reason (not faith) and fails to find perfection in the word (as approached without God).
Postmodernism presents us with a "new type of knower." Where once the acquisition of knowledge was linked to how we trained our minds; now the acquisition of knowledge is dependent upon our link to cyber-knowledge. One of my students recently quipped that he would love to have a hard drive in his head where he could just download his college education - like something from a Philip K. Dick novel.
Postmodernism blends truth and fiction leading to a destructive approach to history. I wonder how will this disregard for the past will impact Biblical truth? Here I think of Gore Vidal's postmodern tale "Live from Golgotha" where hackers erode the Gospel message prompting journalists to travel in time back to Golgotha to report the events that happened there. In postmodern Christian culture, biblical Truth and tradition gives way to C-Pop music, multimedia displays and book studies. These practices pared with the prevalence of paraphrased and inclusive Bibles (modified for easier digestion - like Olestra) hint at the destruction of the Truth (and Christian heritage) by Christians.
Postmodern ideologies began in art and philosophy. These ideologies have now taken root in the church, our universities, along with media and entertainment channels. How then shall postmodernism end? I predict a great fall, like that of the Roman Empire which had taken influence on much of the world. After the crash (re)birth of culture and (re)formation of faith. And if the book is right, a (re) birth of romanticism.
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
clear introduction to a confusing topic Introducing Postmodernism is a basic introduction to Postmodern thought. As it is a basic introduction, it does not go very far into depth on any one aspect of Postmodern thought. Still, it clearly represents the main aspects of Postmodernism namely, legitimization, reproducibility and hyper reality. Before reading this book I had no idea what Postmodernism was, now at least I have some idea. The book includes a useful list of books for further reading at the end. Also, you can read about some of the main thinkers in other totem books for example Introducing Derrida.
Good Read, Yet not quite an introduction This book I find more of a reference than an introduction. I was looking for a gooding starting point for postmodernism, and was led to this book. Half the book is the complex world of modernism, followed by linguistic theory, and finally ending with interesting theories of current events.
I must say if postmodernism is of interest for you get this book. But this book will probably only leave you with more questions. I find it more of a picture reference book.
Taking the authors advice---I bought both 'The postmodern condition' and 'simulacra and simulation'. Having just read the condition, I felt that provided a indepth read into the subject. Introducing Postmodernism then provided an easy reference to clarify some arguments.
Suggestion for those new to the subject:
1. Buy this book and a good book on the introduction of modernism. If you do not have a solid understanding of modernism...goodluck.
2. Buy 'The Postmodern Condition'--it is a difficult read -- yet many key concepts appear.
Introducing Postmodernism is a GOOD book, not great, but it does intice one to learn more with the new questions that should arise, and deal with some issues that are not very postmodern yet are considered PM. PERHAPS THAT IS WHAT A GOOD INTRODUCTION OF POSTMODERNISM SHOULD CONSIDER ITS CHIEF GOAL.
Biting off more than you can chew 'Introducing Postmodernism' is a good source to gather names of philosophers, architects, artists, anthropologists, linguists, and everyone in between that have been somehow connected to PM. The problem, and it is a big one, is that this style of tour de force writing does little to contextualize all these diverse disciplines. Sure, if you only have half an hour to read up on PM, you can whip through this book and go on with your life. But if you're wanting to really absorb the phenomenon, and perhaps go on to read more, this book is NOT the place to start. Check out David Harvey's 'Condition of Postmodernism.' This will rip the top of your head clean off! It's much more weighty (in every sense of the word), but your understanding of PM will vastly improve, and will better prepare you to go on to other important writers of the 'genre'.
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