Leigh Wilson – författare

Explores the interplay between modernist experiment and occult discourses in the early twentieth centuryWhile modernism’s engagement with the occult has been approached by critics as the result of a loss of faith in representation, an attempt to draw on science as the primary discourse of modernity, or as a hidden history of ideas, Leigh Wilson argues that these discourses have at their heart a magical practice which remakes the relationship between world and representation. As Wilson demonstrates, the courses of the occult are based on a magical mimesis which transforms the nature of the copy, from inert to vital, from dead to alive, from static to animated, from powerless to powerful.Wilson explores the aesthetic and political implications of this relationship in the work of those writers, artists and filmmakers who were most self-consciously experimental, including James Joyce, Ezra Pound, Dziga Vertov and Sergei M. Eisenstein.

Explores the interplay between modernist experiment and occult discourses in the early twentieth centuryWhile modernism’s engagement with the occult has been approached by critics as the result of a loss of faith in representation, an attempt to draw on science as the primary discourse of modernity, or as a hidden history of ideas, Leigh Wilson argues that these discourses have at their heart a magical practice which remakes the relationship between world and representation. As Wilson demonstrates, the courses of the occult are based on a magical mimesis which transforms the nature of the copy, from inert to vital, from dead to alive, from static to animated, from powerless to powerful.Wilson explores the aesthetic and political implications of this relationship in the work of those writers, artists and filmmakers who were most self-consciously experimental, including James Joyce, Ezra Pound, Dziga Vertov and Sergei M. Eisenstein.

This guide provides a clear and concise overview of literature and its context from 1890-1939. This accessible introduction to Modernism and its contexts from 1890-1939 includes: an overview of the historical, cultural and intellectual background including arts, science and philosophy; a survey of the developments in key genres including discussion of major writers and groups including Virginia Woolf, T.S.Eliot, James Joyce and the Bloomsbury group; concise explanations of key terms needed to understand the literature and criticism; a guide to key critical approaches to modernism from contemporary critics to the present; a chronology mapping historical events and literary works; and guided further reading including websites and electronic resources."Introductions to British Literature and Culture" provide practical guides to key literary periods. Guides in the series help to orientate students as they begin a new module or area of study, providing concise information on the historical, cultural, literary and critical context and acting as an initial map of the knowledge needed to study the literature and culture of a specific period.Each guide includes an overview of the historical period, intellectual contexts, major genres, critical approaches and a guide to original research and resource materials in the area, enabling students to progress confidently to further study.

This is a collection of interviews with contemporary British novelists offering a fascinating insight into bestselling authors' views on fiction today.Why do writers write? How do they react to criticism of their work? What inspires them and how do they work? Does fiction have any political, ethical or spiritual significance? Can we learn more about a book from its author? This collection of interviews with contemporary British novelists offers a fascinating insight into bestselling authors' views on fiction today; their influences and themes; readers and critics; why they write and their writing process; and provides a snapshot of the reality of living as a writer. Revealing the hopes, fears, beliefs and ambitions of leading authors, "Writers Talk" is essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary literature or the nature of the writing process."Writers Talk" includes interviews with Kate Atkinson, Pat Barker, Jonathan Coe, Jim Crace, Toby Litt, David Mitchell, Will Self, Graham Swift, Matt Thorne and Alan Warner.

Innovative novels by women published in the UK in the 1950s and 1960s have returned with a vengeance in the last decade. They have reappeared in bookshops, they have been the subject of academic work, of newspaper articles and radio programmes. Feminist critical work is likely to see this return through the trope of recovery; those interested in publishing are likely to use Pierre Bourdieu's model of 'restricted production'. This Element argues that both of these temporal models are problematic. That these novelists have not been fully present in literary culture till now is the fault neither of 'forgetting' nor the time lag inherent in restricted production, but of the specific and complex structures, dynamics and assumptions of publishing. By focusing the publishing and republishing of the work of Ann Quin (1936-1973), this Element remakes the feminist critical landscape for work on novelists from the past and on publishing.

How did social, cultural and political events in Britain during the 1980s shape contemporary British fiction? Setting the fiction squarely within the context of Conservative politics and questions about culture and national identity, this volume reveals how the decade associated with Thatcherism frames the work of Kazuo Ishiguro, Martin Amis, and Graham Swift, of Scottish novelists and new diasporic writers. How and why 1980s fiction is a response to particular psychological, social and economic pressures is explored in detail. Drawing on the rise of individualism and the birth of neo-liberalism, contributors reflect on the tense relations between 1980s politics and realism, and between elegy and satire. Noting the creation of a 'heritage industry' during the decade, the rise of the historical novel is also considered against broader cultural changes. Viewed from the perspective of more recent theorisations of crisis following both 9/11 and the 21st-century financial crash, this study makes sense of why and how writers of the 1980s constructed fictions in response to this decade's own set of fundamental crises.

How did social, cultural and political events in Britain during the 1990s shape contemporary British Fiction? From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the turn of the millennium, the 1990s witnessed a realignment of global politics. Against the changing international scene, this volume uses events abroad and in Britain to examine and explain the changes taking place in British fiction, including: the celebration of national identities, fuelled by the move toward political devolution in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales; the literary optimism in urban ethnic fictions written by a new generation of authors, born and raised in Britain; the popularity of neo-Victorian fiction. Critical surveys are balanced by in-depth readings of work by the authors who defined the decade, including A.S. Byatt, Hanif Kureishi, Will Self, Caryl Phillips and Irvine Welsh: an approach that illustrates exactly how their key themes and concerns fit within the social and political circumstances of the decade.

How did social, cultural and political events in Britain during the 2000s shape contemporary British fiction? The means of publishing, buying and reading fiction changed dramatically between 2000 and 2010. This volume explores how the socio-political and economic turns of the decade, bookended by the beginning of a millennium and an economic crisis, transformed the act of writing and reading. Through consideration of, among other things, the treatment of neuroscience, violence, the historical and youth subcultures in recent fiction, the essays in this collection explore the complex and still powerful relation between the novel and the world in which it is written, published and read.This major literary assessment of the fiction of the 2000s covers the work of newer voices such as Monica Ali, Mark Haddon, Tom McCarthy, David Peace and Zadie Smith as well as those more established, such as Salman Rushdie, Hilary Mantel and Ian McEwan making it an essential contribution to reading, defining and understanding the decade.

How did social, cultural and political events in Britain during the 2000s shape contemporary British fiction? The means of publishing, buying and reading fiction changed dramatically between 2000 and 2010. This volume explores how the socio-political and economic turns of the decade, bookended by the beginning of a millennium and an economic crisis, transformed the act of writing and reading. Through consideration of, among other things, the treatment of neuroscience, violence, the historical and youth subcultures in recent fiction, the essays in this collection explore the complex and still powerful relation between the novel and the world in which it is written, published and read.This major literary assessment of the fiction of the 2000s covers the work of newer voices such as Monica Ali, Mark Haddon, Tom McCarthy, David Peace and Zadie Smith as well as those more established, such as Salman Rushdie, Hilary Mantel and Ian McEwan making it an essential contribution to reading, defining and understanding the decade.

How did social, cultural and political events in Britain during the 1980s shape contemporary British fiction? Setting the fiction squarely within the context of Conservative politics and questions about culture and national identity, this volume reveals how the decade associated with Thatcherism frames the work of Kazuo Ishiguro, Martin Amis, and Graham Swift, of Scottish novelists and new diasporic writers. How and why 1980s fiction is a response to particular psychological, social and economic pressures is explored in detail. Drawing on the rise of individualism and the birth of neo-liberalism, contributors reflect on the tense relations between 1980s politics and realism, and between elegy and satire. Noting the creation of a 'heritage industry' during the decade, the rise of the historical novel is also considered against broader cultural changes. Viewed from the perspective of more recent theorisations of crisis following both 9/11 and the 21st-century financial crash, this study makes sense of why and how writers of the 1980s constructed fictions in response to this decade's own set of fundamental crises.

Moving beyond a survey approach, this collection explores British fiction's place among the cultural shifts and headline events of four distinctive decades. From the collapse of communism, through the rise of Thatcher to the shifts in global power, each volume evaluates the impact of social, cultural and political history on the fiction of the respective period. Breaking British fiction into its four constituent decades, the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s and the 2000s and using social, cultural and political contexts to understand its chronology means changing literary themes are properly accounted for and traditional readings opened up. Alongside the national reception, the series looks closely at how British fiction has been received internationally. Approaching the subject from the perspective of its disciplinary formation, The Decades Series is a crucial reference point for the progressive development of contemporary British fiction, not only a literary and cultural phenomenon, but as an academic field.

The Selected Works of Andrew Lang: Volume 1Anthropology: Fairy Tale, Folklore, the Origins of Religion, Psychical ResearchEdited by Andrew Teverson, Alexandra Warwick and Leigh WilsonThis is the first critical edition of the works of Andrew Lang (1844-1912), the Scottish writer whose enormous output spanned the whole range of late-nineteenth century intellectual culture. Neglected since his death, partly because of the diversity of his interests and the volume of his writing, his cultural centrality and the interdisciplinary nature of his work make him a vital figure for contemporary scholars.This volume covers Lang’s wide and influential engagement with the central areas of late nineteenth-century anthropology. Lang made decisive interventions in debates around the meaning of folk tales and the origins of religion, as well as being an important figure in the investigation of spiritualist claims through psychical research. The work reproduced here includes journalism, essays, extracts from books and previously unpublished letters which together articulate and challenge some of the central ideas and discussions of the period, including evolution, the relation between modern and non-modern cultures, the nature of scientific claims to truth, and the consequences of materialism. The volume will provide new and illuminating ways of understanding and assessing the period for scholars across a range of disciplines, including those interested in the histories of the fairy story, of science, of the occult, of colonialism and of anthropology.Key Features: Unpublished archival materialCritical introductions to the major areas of his workFull explanatory notesAndrew Teverson is Professor of English Literature and Associate Dean for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Kingston University, London. His research centres on the use and meaning of fairy tales, and he has published both on the employment of them in contemporary writing and on the historical development of the form. He is the author of Fairy Tale (Routledge, 2013).Alexandra Warwick is Professor of English Studies and Head of the Department of English, Linguistics and Cultural Studies at the University of Westminster. Her research is on Victorian culture, in particular the fin de siècle. Leigh Wilson is Reader in Modern Literature in the Department of English, Linguistics and Cultural Studies at the University of Westminster. Her research focuses on modernism, on the place of supernatural and occult beliefs and practices in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and on the contemporary British novel. She is the author of Modernism and Magic: Experiments with Spiritualism, Theosophy and the Occult (EUP, 2013).

The Selected Works Of Andrew LangVolume 2: Literary Criticism, History, Biography Edited by Andrew Teverson, Alexandra Warwick and Leigh WilsonThis is the first critical edition of the works of Andrew Lang (1844-1912), the Scottish writer whose enormous output spanned the whole range of late-nineteenth century intellectual culture. Neglected since his death, partly because of the diversity of his interests and the volume of his writing, his cultural centrality and the interdisciplinary nature of his work make him a vital figure for contemporary scholars.The volume demonstrates Lang’s central position in the literary culture of his day. It includes the most important examples of his literary journalism, his historical and his biographical writing. In these works, Lang engages with the most important literary critical issues of the period -- whether the novel is entertainment or art, the professionalization of writing, the function of fiction and criticism – and writes on some of the central literary figures of the century such as Tennyson, Dickens and Zola. In his writings on Scotland, history and biography too the selected work shows not only the complexity and inter-disciplinary nature of his own thought but illuminates contemporary debates on the nature of genius, on national identity and on historical method.Key Features: Unpublished archival materialCritical introductions to the major areas of his workFull explanatory notesAndrew Teverson is Professor of English Literature and Associate Dean for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Kingston University, London. His research centres on the use and meaning of fairy tales, and he has published both on the employment of them in contemporary writing and on the historical development of the form. He is the author of Fairy Tale (Routledge, 2013).Alexandra Warwick is Professor of English Studies and Head of the Department of English, Linguistics and Cultural Studies at the University of Westminster. Her research is on Victorian culture, in particular the fin de siècle. Leigh Wilson is Reader in Modern Literature in the Department of English, Linguistics and Cultural Studies at the University of Westminster. Her research focuses on modernism, on the place of supernatural and occult beliefs and practices in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and on the contemporary British novel. She is the author of Modernism and Magic: Experiments with Spiritualism, Theosophy and the Occult (EUP, 2013).

The only available critical selection of the works of Andrew LangThis is the first critical edition of the works of Andrew Lang, the Scottish writer whose enormous output spanned the whole the range of late-nineteenth century intellectual culture: from literary criticism to anthropology, magic to archaeology, folklore to Scottish history. Critically neglected since his death, partly because of the diversity of his interests and the volume of his writing, he was central to some of the most important debates of the period. This, and the interdisciplinary nature of his work, makes him an important figure for contemporary scholarsKey Features: * Unpublished archival material* Critical introductions to the major areas of his work* Full explanatory notes

YOUR ALL-IN-ONE GUIDE TO ARIZONA’S BEST OUTINGS!Discover hundreds of unique attractions around the Grand Canyon State. This comprehensive guide by Leigh Wilson is jam-packed with Arizona’s top spots for fun and entertainment. Take a simple day trip, or string together a longer vacation of activities that appeal to you. Useful for singles, couples, and families—visitors and residents alike—this guide encompasses a wide range of interests.Features You’ll AppreciateSections divided by theme for easy reference—decide what to do, then figure out where to do itDestinations based on themes such as Airplanes & Railroads, Festivals, and Outdoor AdventuresTips for other things to do in the areaHandy size that’s perfect for travelingYou’ll FindNational parks, lakes, and museumsBreathtaking views along scenic drivesGhost towns and Wild West eventsWITH ARIZONA DAY TRIPS BY THEME AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, YOU’LL ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO DO!

Explore Utah with this all-in-one guidebook, packed with hundreds of Utah’s best destinations organized by theme.Discover hundreds of unique attractions around the Beehive State. This comprehensive guide by Leigh Wilson is jam-packed with Utah’s top spots for fun and entertainment. Take a simple day trip, or string together a longer vacation of activities that appeal to you. Useful for singles, couples, and families—visitors and residents alike—this guide encompasses a wide range of interests.Features You’ll AppreciateSections divided by theme for easy reference—decide what to do, then figure out where to do itDestinations based on themes such as Festivals, Outdoor Adventures, and Trains & PlanesTips for other things to do in the areaHandy size that’s perfect for travelingYou’ll FindMonuments, museums, and minesBreathtaking views along scenic drivesWineries, breweries, and culinary experiencesFind an adventure that feels handpicked for you. With Utah Day Trips by Theme at your fingertips, you’ll always have something to do!

Explore Arizona with this all-in-one guidebook, packed with nearly 300 of the best destinations, organized by theme.If you’ve ever asked, “What should we do today?” then grab a copy of Arizona Day Trips. You’ll discover hundreds of unique attractions around the Grand Canyon State, including the fun, the fascinating, and the downright unusual. This comprehensive guide by Arizona travel guru Leigh Wilson is jam-packed with the top spots for entertainment and excitement. Take a simple day trip or string together a longer vacation of activities that appeal to you. Useful for singles, couples, and families—visitors and residents alike—this guide encompasses a wide range of interests.You’ll find national parks, lakes, and museums; birding and stargazing opportunities; and chapters that feature festivals and performing arts. So find an adventure that feels handpicked for you. With Arizona Day Trips at your fingertips, you’ll always have something to do!Features You’ll Appreciate:Sections divided by theme for easy reference—decide what to do, then figure out where to do itDestinations based on such themes as American Indian History & Culture, Ghost Towns & the Wild West, Outdoor Adventures, and SportsHandy size that’s perfect for traveling

This title presents a collection of interviews with contemporary British novelists offering a fascinating insight into bestselling authors' views on fiction today.Why do writers write? How do they react to criticism of their work? What inspires them and how do they work? Does fiction have any political, ethical or spiritual significance? Can we learn more about a book from its author? This collection of interviews with contemporary British novelists offers a fascinating insight into bestselling authors' views on fiction today; their influences and themes; readers and critics; why they write and their writing process; and, provides a snapshot of the reality of living as a writer.Revealing the hopes, fears, beliefs and ambitions of leading authors, "Writers Talk" is essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary literature or the nature of the writing process."Writers Talk" includes interviews with Kate Atkinson, Pat Barker, Jonathan Coe, Jim Crace, Toby Litt, David Mitchell, Will Self, Graham Swift, Matt Thorne and Alan Warner.

The Contemporary Small Press: Making Publishing Visible addresses the contemporary literary small press in the US and UK from the perspective of a range of disciplines.