Table Of ContentAround the Book
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Around the Book
Systems and Literacy
Henry Sussman
fordham university press
new york 2011
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Copyright(cid:2)2011FordhamUniversityPress
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,
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FordhamUniversityPressalsopublishesitsbooksinavarietyof
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availableinelectronicbooks.
Sussman,Henry.
Aroundthebook:systemsandliteracy/HenrySussman.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-8232-3283-3(alk.paper)
ISBN978-0-8232-3284-0(pbk.:alk.paper)
ISBN978-0-8232-3285-7(ebook)
1.Criticism. 2.Socialsystems. 3.Literature—
Philosophy. 4.Books—History. 5.Booksandreading—
Sociologicalaspects. I.Title.
PN98.S6S87 2011
002.09—dc22
2010033985
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
13 12 11 5 4 3 2 1
Firstedition
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TothestudentsofYaleUniversityatalllevels,
insolidarityandwithdeepappreciation.
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contents
Illustrations ix
Preface:ReachingfortheBook xi
1. Introduction:AroundtheBook 1
2. ExtraterrestrialKafka:AheadtotheGraphicNovel 49
3. Kafka’sImaginary:ACognitivePsychologyFootnote 85
4. BookingBenjamin:TheFateofaMedium 107
5. PulsationsofRespect,orWingedImpossibility:
PoeticDeconstruction 138
6. Hegel,Glas,andtheBroaderModernity 163
7. Systems,Games,andthePlayer:DidWeManage
toBecomeHuman? 194
8. AtmosphericsofMood 218
9. ThinkingFlatOut:BacktoBateson 244
Notes 277
Index 309
vii
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illustrations
1. MarcelDuchamp,NudeDescendingaStaircase.Aniconic
momentofmodernistpaintingwhenthe‘‘still’’ofportraiture
opensuptoincorporatesequentialmovementandthroughit,
time. 61
2. BenKatchor,JuliusKniplRealEstatePhotographer:Stories
(Boston:LittleBrown,1996),cover. 64
3. BenKatchor,JuliusKniplRealEstatePhotographer:TheBeauty
SupplyDistrict(NewYork:Pantheon,2003),endpapers,front,
withstorefronts,including‘‘Sensum’sSymmetryShop’’and
‘‘SyntheticAprioriCorp.’’ 66
4. BenKatchor,TheBeautySupplyDistrict,endpapers,rear,with
collage,includingtheaterseatingplanand‘‘DeVowel’sPuddle
Map.’’ 68
5. LouisAragon,LepaysandeParis(Paris:Gallimard,1953),122.
Hereandelsewhere,Aragonincorporatessignagefromthe
boutiquesoftheParisianarcadesintohistext. 70
6. Aragon,LepaysandeParis,196.Inthispassage,Aragon
reproducesofficialmunicipalinscriptionsfromthecityhallof
thenineteentharrondisementintohistext. 71
7. LucandFranc¸oisSchuiten,Carapaces(Geneva:Humanos,
1980),6.Acouple,wearingprophylacticbodyarmoragainst
insectswarms,preparesforsexualintercourse. 72
8. Schuitenbrothers,Carapaces,10.Oneofthesexualpartners
realizestheconsequencesofhavingremovedprotectivegarb. 73
ix
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x Illustrations
9. Luc&Franc¸oisSchuitenandBenoıˆtPeeters,L’archiviste
(Casterman,2000),jacket.Afigurealmostfromthepagesof
Melville’s‘‘BartlebytheScrivener’’assumestheburdenof
culturalmemory,withallitsarchivingtasks. 74
10. SchuitenbrothersandPeeters,L’archiviste,cover.Herethe
archivisthidesinacompartmentreminiscentofthemadly
symmetricalarchitectureprevalentinBorges’s‘‘TheLibrary
ofBabel.’’ 75
11. SchuitenbrothersandPeeters,Lafie`vred’Vrbicande
(Casterman,1992),38.Thevirusofproliferatingcubesbegins
toexpandarounditsarchitect,Euge`neRobick. 76
12. SchuitenbrothersandPeeters,Latour(Casterman,1987),6.
GiovanniBattista,masterofthetower,entersanEscher-like
perspective,inwhichhegazesattheinternalgothictrappings
ofthestructuresimultaneouslyheadon,fromabove,andfrom
below. 77
13. SchuitenbrothersandPeeters,Nogegon(Casterman,1990),
rearcover,indicatingthemultiple-imagetrailleftbythemodel
Oliveinthefuturisticsculpturalartform‘‘artrace.’’ 78
14. LeoLeonhardandOttoJa¨gersberg,Ru¨sselinKomikland
(Darmstadt:Melzer,1972),detail,44–45.Fountain,graphic
caricatureofBosch’s‘‘TheGardenofEarthlyDelights.’’ 80
15. LeonhardandJa¨gersberg,Ru¨sselinKomikland,31.
ContemporaryFlabbyJackfindsdistortedplaymatesfromthe
graphicuniverseofBosch’simaginarycreatures. 82
16. LeonhardandJa¨gersberg,Ru¨sselinKomikland,35.AlBosso,
mobgodfather,athomeintheseatofhispower. 83
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Description:Amid radical transformation and rapid mutation in the nature, transmission, and deployment of information and communications, Around the Book offers a status report and theoretically nuanced update on the traditions and medium of the book. What, it asks, are the book's current prospects? The study h
