John Schad is Professor of Modern Literature at the University of Lancaster.

"'as fascinating as the most experimental avant-garde mobilizations of literature during the interwar period. Stein, Breton, Pirandello and Pessoa come to mind.' (Geoffrey Hartman, Yale University, USA) 'says something previously unsaid about not only about Walter Benjamin but post-war Austerity Britain...and does so on the basis of rigorous historical and philosophical analysis.' (Esther Leslie, University of London, UK) '...mixes apparently autobiographical fiction and social history with astute critical reworking of many of Walter Benjamin's most important ideas' (J. Hillis Miller, University of California, Irvine, USA)"

• Preface; Acknowledgements; List of Illustrations; A Note Left Behind; 1. The Gate; 2. The House; 3. Two Films Are Briefly Projected; 4. The Front Room; 5. Still the Front Room; 6. The Garden in the Evening; 7. Still the Garden in the Evening; 8. The Garden, Now Frozen, At Night; 9. Still the Frosted Garden At Night; 10. The Coronation and the Beautiful Pouring Rain; 11. Still the Coronation and the Beautiful Pouring Rain; 12. Removal; 13. The Threshold of the Hotel; Post-face; Notes; Index.

John Schad is Professor of Modern Literature at the University of Lancaster.

"'as fascinating as the most experimental avant-garde mobilizations of literature during the interwar period. Stein, Breton, Pirandello and Pessoa come to mind.' (Geoffrey Hartman, Yale University, USA) 'says something previously unsaid about not only about Walter Benjamin but post-war Austerity Britain...and does so on the basis of rigorous historical and philosophical analysis.' (Esther Leslie, University of London, UK) '...mixes apparently autobiographical fiction and social history with astute critical reworking of many of Walter Benjamin's most important ideas' (J. Hillis Miller, University of California, Irvine, USA)"

• Preface; Acknowledgements; List of Illustrations; A Note Left Behind; 1. The Gate; 2. The House; 3. Two Films Are Briefly Projected; 4. The Front Room; 5. Still the Front Room; 6. The Garden in the Evening; 7. Still the Garden in the Evening; 8. The Garden, Now Frozen, At Night; 9. Still the Frosted Garden At Night; 10. The Coronation and the Beautiful Pouring Rain; 11. Still the Coronation and the Beautiful Pouring Rain; 12. Removal; 13. The Threshold of the Hotel; Post-face; Notes; Index.