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stevebargdill 's review for:
Illuminations: Essays and Reflections
by Walter Benjamin
I had a really hard time deciding where to rate this book. German writers are already dry to begin with. German philosophers, ick. Then, add the English translation on top of it. The book was difficult to get through. Definitely not one I'd recommend for a straight-read through.
Each chapter though, is an individual essay. Mostly, the book contains literary criticisms. The last two chapters, The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction was scary--this book was published in 1955, the essays all written sometime before 1940, and Benjamin quotes a guy (can't remember who) saying that the day will come when one can sit in his or own home and with a flick of his or her wrist, watch various images. He was referring to movies and film--but what about the TV remote or the mouse? Creepy how he saw into the future like that.
The last chapter, Theses on the Philosophy of History was simply short and intriguing, leaving the reader (or me) reveling in the prose--which I had said before was German-boring (Deutschlangweilig).
Overall though, Illuminations has some real gems in it. You just have to be willing to wade through the text. Take it in small bites, and you'll be fine.
Each chapter though, is an individual essay. Mostly, the book contains literary criticisms. The last two chapters, The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction was scary--this book was published in 1955, the essays all written sometime before 1940, and Benjamin quotes a guy (can't remember who) saying that the day will come when one can sit in his or own home and with a flick of his or her wrist, watch various images. He was referring to movies and film--but what about the TV remote or the mouse? Creepy how he saw into the future like that.
The last chapter, Theses on the Philosophy of History was simply short and intriguing, leaving the reader (or me) reveling in the prose--which I had said before was German-boring (Deutschlangweilig).
Overall though, Illuminations has some real gems in it. You just have to be willing to wade through the text. Take it in small bites, and you'll be fine.