The Scandal of Susan Sontag (Gender and Culture Series)

Susan Sontag (1933–2004) spoke of the promiscuity of art and literature—the willingness of great artists and writers to scandalize their spectators through critical frankness, complexity, and beauty. Sontag's life and thought were no less promiscuous. She wrote deeply and engagingly about a range of subjects—theater, sex, politics, novels, torture, and illness—and courted celebrity and controversy both publicly and privately. Throughout her career, she not only earned adulation but also provoked scorn. Her living was the embodiment of scandal. In this collection, Terry Castle, Nancy K. Miller, Wayne Koestenbaum, E. Ann Kaplan, and other leading scholars revisit Sontag's groundbreaking life and work. __Against Interpretation__, "Notes on Camp," __Letter from Hanoi__, __On Photography__, __Illness as Metaphor__, __I, Etcetera__, and __The Volcano Lover__—these works form the center of essays no less passionate and imaginative than Sontag herself. Debating questions raised by the thinker's own images and identities, including her sexuality, these works question Sontag's status as a female intellectual and her parallel interest in ambitious and prophetic fictional women; her ambivalence toward popular culture; and her personal and professional "scandals." Paired with rare photographs and illustrations, this timely anthology expands our understanding of Sontag's images and power.

susan Sontag (1933-2004) Spoke Of The Promiscuity Of Art And Literature& Mdash;the Willingness Of Great Artists And Writers To Scandalize Their Spectators Through Critical Frankness, Complexity, And Beauty. Sontag's Life And Thought Were No Less Promiscuous. She Wrote Deeply And Engagingly About A Range Of Subjects& Mdash;theater, Sex, Politics, Novels, Torture, And Illness& Mdash;and Courted Celebrity And Controversy Both Publicly And Privately. Throughout Her Career, She Not Only Earned Adulation But Also Provoked Scorn. Her Living Was The Embodiment Of Scandal.

in This Collection, Terry Castle, Nancy K. Miller, Wayne Koestenbaum, E. Ann Kaplan, And Other Leading Scholars Revisit Sontag's Groundbreaking Life And Work. against Interpretation, Notes On Camp, letter From Hanoi, on Photography, illness As Metaphor, i, Etcetera, And the Volcano Lover& Mdash;these Works Form The Center Of Essays No Less Passionate And Imaginative Than Sontag Herself. Debating Questions Raised By The Thinker's Own Images And Identities, Including Her Sexuality, These Works Question Sontag's Status As A Female Intellectual And Her Parallel Interest In Ambitious And Prophetic Fictional Women; Her Ambivalence Toward Popular Culture; And Her Personal And Professional Scandals. Paired With Rare Photographs And Illustrations, This Timely Anthology Expands Our Understanding Of Sontag's Images And Power.

publishers Weekly

this Volume Of Essays By A Dozen Contributors (most Notably Wayne Koestenbaum) Examines A Number Of Key Works And Aspects Of Sontag's Career—nearly Five Decades Worth Of Gender-bending And Upsetting The Social Applecart. Like Its Subject, This Assessment Comes With The Baggage Of Ultra-self-consciousness And A Dash Of Self-importance. Why Shouldn't It? It Is An Attempt At Interpreting The Author Who, With Much Provocative Fanfare, Came To Disown Interpretation. Overall, This Appreciation—edited By Two Associate Professors Of English (ching At The University Of Memphis, Wagner-lawlor At Penn State)—yields New Insights On A Most Complex Sensibility. The Contributors Accomplish This With Sophisticated Admiration, Usually With Originality And, With The Requisite Doses Of Wit To Deconstruct The Chronicler Of Camp. Sontag's Work And Reputation Are Looked At From All Angles: In Popular Culture (a Cameo In Zelig), As A Filmmaker Herself, As Playwright And Director, As Novelist, As Mental And Literal World Traveler. What Predominates Amid The Academic-speak Is Sontag's Understanding Of The Politics Of Experience. 9 Photos. (nov.)

"Susan Sontag (1933-2004) spoke of the promiscuity of art and literature - the willingness of great artists and writers to scandalize their spectators through critical frankness, complexity, and beauty. Sontag's life and thought were no less promiscuous. She wrote deeply and engagingly about a range of subjects - theater, sex, politics, novels, torture, and illness - and courted celebrity and controversy both publicly and privately. Throughout her career, she not only earned adulation but also provoked scorn. Her living was the embodiment of scandal. In this collection, Terry Castle, Nancy K. Miller, Wayne Koestenbaum, E. Ann Kaplan, and other leading scholars revisit Sontag's groundbreaking life and work. Against Interpretation, Notes on Camp, Letter from Hanoi, On Photography, Illness as Metaphor, I, Etcetera, and The Volcano Lover - these works form the center of essays no less passionate and imaginative than Sontag herself. Debating questions raised by the thinker's own images and identities, including her sexuality, these works question Sontag's status as a female intellectual and her parallel interest in ambitious and prophetic fictional women; her ambivalence toward popular culture; and her personal and professional 'scandals." Paired with rare photographs and illustrations, this timely anthology expands our understanding of Sontag's images and power."--Publisher's description Table of Contents Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations for Commonly Used Titles List of Figures Introduction: Unextinguished:Susan Sontag’s Work in Progress. Barbara Ching and Jennifer A. Wagner- Lawlor 1. Some Notes on “Notes on Camp.” Terry Castle 2. Absolute Seriousness: Susan Sontag in American Popular Culture. Dana Heller 3. “Not Even a New Yorker”: Susan Sontag in America. Barbara Ching 4. Romances of Community in Sontag’s Later Fiction. Jennifer A. Wagner- Lawlor 5. Sontag, Modernity, and Cinema: Women and an Aesthetics of Silence, 1960–1980. E. Ann Kaplan 6. Sontag on Theater. Julia A. Walker 7. The “Counterculture” in Quotation Marks: Sontag and Marcuse on the Work of Revolution. Craig J. Peariso 8. A Way of Feeling Is a Way of Seeing: Sontag and the Visual Arts. Leslie Luebbers 9. Metaphors Kill: “Against Interpretation” and the Illness Books. Jay Prosser 10. The Posthumous Life of Susan Sontag. Nancy K. Miller 11. In Summa: The Latter Essays—an Appreciation. Sohnya Sayres 12. Susan Sontag, Cosmophage. Wayne Koestenbaum Bibliography Contributors Index Gender and Culture Series Introduction: unextinguished: Susan Sontag's work in progress -- Barbara Ching and Jennifer A. Wagner-Lawlor Some notes on "Notes on camp" -- Terry Castle Absolute seriousness: Susan Sontag in American popular culture -- Dana Heller "Not even a New Yorker": Susan Sontag in America -- Barbara Ching Romances of community in Sontag's later fiction -- Jennifer A. Wagner-Lawlor Sontag, modernity, and cinema: women and an aesthetics of silence, 1960-1980 -- E. Ann Kaplan Sontag on theater -- Julia Walker The "counterculture" in quotation marks: Sontag and Marcuse on the work of revolution -- Craig J. Peariso A way of feeling is a way of seeing: Sontag and the visual arts -- Leslie Luebbers Metaphors kill: "Against interpretation" and the illness books -- Jay Prosser The posthumous life of Susan Sontag -- Nancy K. Miller In summa: the latter essays: an appreciation -- Sohnya Sayres Susan Sontag, cosmophage -- Wayne Koestenbaum.