The Cambridge Companion to Don DeLillo (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

With the publication of his seminal novel White Noise, Don DeLillo was elevated into the pantheon of great American writers. His novels are admired and studied for their narrative technique, political themes, and their prophetic commentary on the cultural crises affecting contemporary America. In an age dominated by the image, DeLillo's fiction encourages the reader to think historically about such matters as the Cold War, the assassination of President Kennedy, threats to the environment, and terrorism. This Companion charts the shape of DeLillo's career, his relation to twentieth-century aesthetics, and his major themes. It also provides in-depth assessments of his best-known novels, White Noise, Libra, and Underworld, which have become required reading not only for students of American literature, but for all interested in the history and the future of American culture. John N. Duvall John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel -- Peter Knight John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel -- Peter Knight -- Peter Boxall John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel -- Peter Knight -- Peter Boxall -- Joseph Dewey John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel -- Peter Knight -- Peter Boxall -- Joseph Dewey -- Tim Engles John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel -- Peter Knight -- Peter Boxall -- Joseph Dewey -- Tim Engles -- Stacy Olster John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel -- Peter Knight -- Peter Boxall -- Joseph Dewey -- Tim Engles -- Stacy Olster -- Jeremy Green John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel -- Peter Knight -- Peter Boxall -- Joseph Dewey -- Tim Engles -- Stacy Olster -- Jeremy Green -- Patrick O'Donnell John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel -- Peter Knight -- Peter Boxall -- Joseph Dewey -- Tim Engles -- Stacy Olster -- Jeremy Green -- Patrick O'Donnell -- Ruth Helyer John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel -- Peter Knight -- Peter Boxall -- Joseph Dewey -- Tim Engles -- Stacy Olster -- Jeremy Green -- Patrick O'Donnell -- Ruth Helyer -- Mark Osteen John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel -- Peter Knight -- Peter Boxall -- Joseph Dewey -- Tim Engles -- Stacy Olster -- Jeremy Green -- Patrick O'Donnell -- Ruth Helyer -- Mark Osteen -- David Cowart John N. Duvall -- Philip Nel -- Peter Knight -- Peter Boxall -- Joseph Dewey -- Tim Engles -- Stacy Olster -- Jeremy Green -- Patrick O'Donnell -- Ruth Helyer -- Mark Osteen -- David Cowart -- John A. McClure John N. Duvall-- Philip Nel-- Peter Knight-- Peter Boxall-- Joseph Dewey-- Tim Engles-- Stacy Olster-- Jeremy Green-- Patrick O'Donnell-- Ruth Helyer-- Mark Osteen-- David Cowart-- John A. McClure-- Joseph M. Conte. The Cambridge companion to Don DeLillo 2 Contents 6 Notes on contributors 8 List of abbreviations 10 Chronology of DeLillo’s life and work 11 Introduction: The power of history and the persistence of mystery 14 1 DeLillo and modernism 24 2 DeLillo, postmodernism, postmodernity 38 3 DeLillo and media culture 52 4 DeLillo’s apocalyptic satires 62 5 DeLillo and the political thriller 75 6 White Noise 86 7 Libra 101 8 Underworld 115 9 DeLillo and masculinity 130 10 DeLillo’s Dedalian artists 142 11 DeLillo and the power of language 156 12 DeLillo and mystery 171 Conclusion: Writing amid the ruins: 9/11 and Cosmopolis 184 Select bibliography 198 Guide to further reading 200 Index 204 "Don DeLillo's novels are admired and studied for their narrative technique, political themes, and prophetic commentary on the cultural crises affecting contemporary America. This Companion charts the shape of DeLillo's career, his relation to twentieth-century aesthetics, and his major themes. It also provides in-depth assessments of his best-known novels, White Noise, Libra, and Underworld, which have become required reading not only for students of American literature, but for all interested in the history and the future of American culture."--Jacket

Don DeLillo's novels are admired and studied for their narrative technique, political themes, and prophetic commentary on the cultural crises affecting contemporary America. This Companion charts the shape of DeLillo's career, his relation to twentieth-century aesthetics, and his major themes. It also provides in-depth assessments of his best-known novels, White Noise, Libra, and Underworld, which have become required reading not only for students of American literature, but for all interested in the history and the future of American culture.

Edited By John N. Duvall. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 193-198) And Index.