Walter Benjamin Book - Selected Writings

Walter Benjamin Book - Selected Article Book Description Back Cover Article (From the Promotional Bulletin) With a Foreword by Hannah Arendt “Usually an epoch leaves its mark most clearly on those who are least affected by it, those who are furthest from it, and therefore those who suffer most from it. … This is what happened to Benjamin. His demeanor, the way he held his head while listening and speaking, his gestures, his mannerisms, especially his way of speaking, down to the choice of words, the syntax, and finally, his characteristic frankness... all seemed so old-fashioned, like someone washed up on the shore of a foreign land, from the nineteenth century to the twentieth century. He was like someone exiled to the century. … [He felt] like someone 'dead while alive and truly alive' on 'the top of a crumbling mast' or among the ruins: … to the bottom of the sea to pick up things that are rich and strange, pearls and coral from the depths, and bring them to the surface. like a pearl diver descending... -Hannah Arendt- Walter Benjamin's importance as a philosopher and critical theorist stems from the fact that he wrote in a wide variety of fields with a unique sparkle, and that the ideas he produced still lead to very productive discussions today. Their efforts to develop a politically oriented theory of aesthetics and culture were a considerable stimulus for both the Frankfurt School and Brecht. His works revived the interest in early German Romanticism, contributed to the development of film theory, influenced cultural theory as well as the philosophical concepts that dominated the modern period, served as a source for thinkers such as Derrida, Agamben and Habermas, and led to the re-discussion of political theology. In this selection, we aim to introduce the reader to Walter Benjamin, who managed to become one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century despite his short life, and his versatile and productive work. Contributors: Tunç Tayanç, Ahmet Cemal, Nurdan Gürbilek, Sabri Yücesoy, Mustafa Tüzel, Şeyda Öztürk, Ece Göztepe