The Art of Invective
Selected Non-Fiction 1953-1994
Published on 12. May 2015
Book
Paperback/Softback
488 pages
978-1-78319-203-8 (ISBN)
Description
Dennis Potter (1935-94) was Britain's leading television dramatist for almost thirty years and remains an inspiration to today's programme makers as a result of such ground-breaking work as Pennies from Heaven, Blue Remembered Hills and The Singing Detective. But he also engaged with his audience through reviews, journalism, interviews, broadcasts and speeches. The Art of Invective, the first collection of its kind, brings together some of his finest non-fiction work.
Published to mark 80 years since Potter's birth, this book includes his merciless television columns, penetrating literary criticism and angry writings on class and politics, as well as his sketches for Sixties satire shows including That Was the Week That Was. From Frost-Nixon to Coronation Street, David Hare to Doctor Who, Orwell to Emu, this collection shows Potter's distinctive voice at its entertaining, thought-provoking and uncompromising best.
Published to mark 80 years since Potter's birth, this book includes his merciless television columns, penetrating literary criticism and angry writings on class and politics, as well as his sketches for Sixties satire shows including That Was the Week That Was. From Frost-Nixon to Coronation Street, David Hare to Doctor Who, Orwell to Emu, this collection shows Potter's distinctive voice at its entertaining, thought-provoking and uncompromising best.
Reviews / Votes
If he'd worked in the theatre he'd have been the Shaw of our day. He would have been that substantial. It remains a scandal that because you worked in television, you are somehow downgraded. You don't belong in that high category of high art. Well, Dennis does if anybody does. * Trevor Griffiths * As the British Film Institute celebrates the life and work of 'the writer who redefined TV drama', Oberon Books, with perfect timing, offers this collection of Potter's critical abuse in journalism and interviews at its most constructively eloquent. The Art of Invective essentially complements Humphrey Carpenter's magisterial biography and all those DVDs of the plays that can still galvanise what Potter called 'the palace of varieties in the corner of the room'. He believed that television, with its vast, all-inclusive audience, was a potentially powerful means of promulgating true democracy... stingingly vitriolic invective... merciless pungency. * The Spectator *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Dimensions
Height: 232 mm
Width: 150 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
660 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78319-203-8 (9781783192038)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
05/2015
1st Edition
Oberon Books Ltd
€25.49
Available for download
Persons
Dennis Potter (17 May 1935 - 7 June 1994) was an English television dramatist, screenwriter and journalist. Beginning with contributions to BBC television's The Wednesday Play anthology series from 1965, he peaked with The Singing Detective (1986), a BBC TV serial for which he is best remembered. This work and many of his other widely acclaimed television dramas mixed fantasy and reality, the personal and the social and often used themes and images from popular culture. Potter was an influence on such creators as Steven Bochco, Alan Ball, Andrew Davies, Charlie Kaufman, Peter Bowker, Margaret Edson and Alain Resnais. His work has been the subject of many critical essays, books, websites and documentaries. BBC Four marked the tenth anniversary of Potter's death in December 2004 with a major series of documentaries about his life and work, accompanied by showings of Pennies from Heaven and The Singing Detective, as well as several of his plays. His influence has also extended into popular music, and he has been cited by bands such as Manic Street Preachers, Franz Ferdinand and Elbow.