Passionate and rollicking personal and intellectual essays by philosopher Crispin Sartwell.Philosopher; music critic; and syndicated columnist Crispin Sartwell has forged a distinctive and fiercely original identity over the years as a cultural commentator. In books about anarchism; art and politics; Native American and African American thought and culture; Eastern spirituality; and American transcendentalism; Sartwell has relentlessly insisted on an ethos rooted in unadorned honesty with oneself and a healthy skepticism of others. This volume of selected popular writings combines music and art criticism with personal memoir about addiction and rebellion; as well as cultural commentary on race; sexuality; cynicism; and the meaning of life.ldquo;Each essay in How to Escape is a personal; opinionated think piece; underpinned by philosophical debate and theory; and the collection builds in energy and intensity; as the subject matter becomes more serious; indeed at times more disturbing hellip; How to Escape is a fine piece of provocation.rdquo; mdash; Times Literary Supplementldquo;Crispin Sartwell deserves to be recognized as the heir to a distinctively American intellectual legacy. Like the American lsquo;cynicsrsquo; he lovesmdash;Twain; Bierce; Menckenmdash;he is fiercely individualistic; deeply antiauthoritarian; and slavishly aligned with no creed or academic discipline. He uses his significant erudition not to escape the ordinary or himself; but rather to let loose richesmdash;of insight; suffering; and beautymdash;through a relentless examination of life; culture; and reality. Sartwell is also; in my opinion; the best philosophical prose stylist of his generation. His writingmdash;crystalline; vivid; and intoxicatingmdash;is an uncontrollable substance. And though Sartwell swaggers; provokes; and sometimes infuriates; he does so with a tacit humility and self-scrutiny; which empowers readers to follow his example and convert their own rage into beauty.rdquo; mdash; Elizabeth Walden; Bryant Universityldquo;Crispin Sartwell is the most important philosophical voice of his generation. He has risen into the public consciousness in the last two decades due to his controversial views on social; political; and cultural subjects. Through television appearances; journalism; and blogging; along with his numerous scholarly books; he has made a reputation as a thinker of serious thoughts. Yet; there is a lightness to his world that is irreverent; fun; and entertaining. These essays reflect some of his best writing from the past fifteen years. They are highly readable; but they are also profound reflections on the subjects that will draw many of us into deeper ponderings about the meaning of life; or; more to the point; the meaning of our lives.rdquo; mdash; Randall Auxier; author of Time; Will; and Purpose: Living Ideas from the Philosophy of Josiah RoyceCrispin Sartwell is Associate Professor of Art; Political Science; and Philosophy at Dickinson College. He is the author of several books; including Against the State: An Introduction to Anarchist Political Theory; Extreme Virtue: Truth and Leadership in Five Great American Lives; and End of Story: Toward an Annihilation of Language and History; all published by SUNY Press.
#2260819 in eBooks 2014-05-02 2014-05-02File Name: B00MN96F7I
Review
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Brilliant insightsBy CLJ III loved this book; and purchased 4 additional copies for friends. A great read and a must for a fan of motion picture history.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great book!By Mary AbnerIt was written by a very knowledgeable movie master; and was a thought - provoking book. It includes movies that span generations; so its appropriate for all ages. Great read!0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. EXCELLENT BOOKBy merrill dean taylorThis is an excellent book and written very well. I didnt know Nick Clooney was so bright. He is an excellent writer. This book is great reading.
