
Devils and Rebels
The Making of Hawthorne's Damned Politics
Larry J. Reynolds(Author)
The University of Michigan Press
Published on 30. October 2008
Book
Hardback
312 pages
978-0-472-11669-0 (ISBN)
Description
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's own time, other New England writers harshly condemned his views on abolitionism and slavery. This viewpoint has persisted, and is particularly evident in the past two decades, as scholars have characterized Hawthorne's slavery politics as morally reprehensible. ""Devils and Rebels"" takes a closer look at the historical and biographical record and offers fresh readings of Hawthorne that reveal striking evidence of his true political values and beliefs.The study argues that Hawthorne's political thought, grounded in pacifism, possesses an overlooked richness and depth that allowed him to resist the kind of binary thinking that could lead to violence and war. Reynolds' impassioned arguments have direct relevance to our times, as they shed light on the difficulties that public intellectuals with independent conviction and imagination might face during times of political strife. Was Nathaniel Hawthorne a racist? A compelling second look at a canonical American author
Reviews / Votes
It is difficult to imagine a more timely book than Devils and Rebels. Examining the role of the public intellectual and writer during a time of political conflict and war, Reynolds takes up his charge with great precision and historical finesse. What particularly distinguishes this book is its attention to the ways in which one of this country's most important authors struggled to resist the waves of political extremism and patriotic hysteria that swept around him. - Jeffrey Steele, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Ann Arbor
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
7 illustrations
Weight
615 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-472-11669-0 (9780472116690)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Larry J. Reynolds is Thomas Franklin Mayo Professor of Liberal Arts, Professor of English, and Director of the American Studies Program at Texas A&M University.