Terrorism, media, and the ethics of fiction : transatlantic perspectives on Don DeLillo

In his novel __Mao II__, Don DeLillo lets his protagonist say, 'Years ago I used to think it was possible for a novelist to alter the inner life of the culture. Now bomb-makers and gunmen have taken that territory. They make raids on human consciousness.' DeLillo suggests that while the collective imagination of the past was guided by the creative order of narrative fictions, our contemporary fantasies and anxieties are directed by the endless narratives of war and terror relayed by the mass media. To take DeLillo's literary reflections on media, terrorism, and literature seriously means to engage with the ethical implications of his media critique. This book departs from existing works on DeLillo not only through its focus on the function of literature as public discourse in culture, but also in its decidedly transatlantic perspective. Bringing together prominent DeLillo scholars in Europe and in the US, it is the first critical book on DeLillo to position his work in a transatlantic context. In His Novel Mao Ii, Don Delillo Lets His Protagonist Say, Years Ago I Used To Think It Was Possible For A Novelist To Alter The Inner Life Of The Culture. Now Bomb-makers And Gunmen Have Taken That Territory. They Make Raids On Human Consciousness. Delillo Suggests That While The Collective Imagination Of The Past Was Guided By The Creative Order Of Narrative Fictions, Our Contemporary Fantasies And Anxieties Are Directed By The Endless Narratives Of War And Terror Relayed By The Mass Media. To Take Delillo's Literary Reflections On Media, Terrorism, And Literature Seriously Means To Engage With The Ethical Implications Of His Media Critique. Terrorism, Media, And The Ethics Of Fiction Departs From Existing Books On Delillo Not Only Through Its Focus On The Function Of Literature As Public Discourse In Contemporary Culture, But Also In Its Decidedly Transatlantic Perspective. Bringing Together Some Of The Most Prominent Delillo Scholars It Opens Up A Dialog Between Delillo Scholarship In Europe And In The Us, Making It The First Critical Work On Delillo To Position His Work In A Transatlantic Context. --book Jacket. Introduction: The American And The European Delillo / Philipp Schweighauser And Peter Schneck -- The Wake Of Terror: Don Delillo's In The Ruins Of The Future, Baader-meinhof And Falling Man / Linda S. Kauffman -- Grieving And Memory In Don Delillo's Falling Man / Silvia Caporale Bizzini -- Collapsing Identities: The Representation And Imagination Of The Terrorist In Falling Man / Sascha Pöhlmann -- 6,500 Weddings And 2,750 Funerals: Mao Ii, Falling Man, And The Mass Effect / Mikko Keskinen -- Public Image And Self-representation: Don Delillo's Artists And Terrorists In Postmodern Mass Society / Leif Grössinger -- The Art Of Terror-the Terror Of Art: Delillo's Still Life Of 9/11, Giorgio Morandi, Gerhard Richter, And Performance Art / Julia Apitzsch -- Grimonprez's Remix / Eben Wood -- Dial T For Terror: Don Delillo's Mao Ii And Johan Grimonprez's Dial H-i-s-t-o-r-y / Martyn Colebrook -- Terror, Asceticism, And Epigrammatic Writing In Don Delillo's Fiction / Paula Martín Salván -- The End Of Resolution? Reflections On The Ethics Of Closure In Don Delillo's Detective Plots / Philipp Schweighauser And Adrian S. Wisnicki -- Slow Man, Dangling Man, Falling Man: Delillo And The Ethics Of Fiction / Peter Boxall -- Falling Man : Performing Fiction / Marie-christine Leps -- The Great Secular Transcendence: Don Delillo And The Desire For Numinous Experience / Peter Schneck -- The Delillo Era: Literary Generations In The Postmodern Period / David Cowart. Edited By Peter Schneck And Philipp Schweighauser. Conference Proceedings Held At The University Of Osnabruck From April 25-27, 2008. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Looks at the role of media, terrorism and literature in Don DeLillo's fiction. Bringing together DeLillo scholars in Europe and in the US, this book focuses on DeLillo to position his work in a transatlantic context