lingering memories

Possessed by Memory: The Inward Light of Criticism

This is the essence of the highest level of criticism:
It is a record of one’s own soul.
It is more exciting than history because it only concerns oneself.
It is more desirable than philosophy because its subject matter is concrete rather than abstract, real rather than vague.
It is the only civilized form of autobiography,
For it deals not with events, but with the ideas of individual life;
Not the tangible events of life's actions or circumstances, but the spiritual atmosphere of the mind and the passions of the imagination.
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There is a consensus in both Chinese and Western academic circles that Harold Bloom is the most gifted, original, and provocative literary critic working today—bar none. His profound literary cultivation forms the foundation of Bloom's renowned literary critic status. His intimate knowledge of literature and his encyclopedic understanding of Western cultural traditions and knowledge have made him a legend in Western literature and culture.
"Memories of the Past" is Bloom's farewell work and his most personal memoir, hailed by the author as his most important work in recent years. Nearing 90, the book can be seen as a review and summary of a lifetime of reading experience. Drawing on his reading memories, the author has selected over 80 passages from classic writers he has memorized since childhood, offering readers a refined and insightful interpretation.
Reading this book is like following the author on a spiritual journey from childhood to old age. Readers will have the privilege of witnessing the process by which one of the greatest contemporary critics draws nourishment from outstanding souls in the history of literature, art, and thought. The works selected in this book have haunted Bloom since his childhood and remain fresh in his old age: from the Bible to Shakespeare and Dr. Johnson; from Spencer and Milton to Wordsworth and Keats; from Whitman and Robert Browning to Joyce and Proust; from Tolstoy and Yeats to Delmore Schwartz and Amy Clampitt... Many of these authors he has discussed in previous works, but reinterpreting them in the final stage of his life will still bring fresh perspectives to readers.
This book is both brilliant and deeply moving. While the pages are permeated with the loneliness and melancholy of a "fading age," Bloom's reaffirmation and love for classics, the soul, virtue, and faith remain vibrant and alive. This book not only charts the reading and life journey of one of the greatest humanistic critics of our time but also illuminates the history of Anglo-American literature in the second half of the 20th century. Both in its literary and textual significance, this work possesses immense academic and aesthetic value.
【Media Comments】
These essays reveal the author's deep personal attachment to literature and his fresh perspective on reading. This book is Bloom's eloquent and learned rereading of his beloved works.
—Kirkus Reviews
The Samuel Johnson of our time... "Memories of the Past" is a farewell work. Bloom's deep love for literature gives him a kind of life force even in the face of death.
——Commonweal Magazine
In this book, the great critic revisits the literary works that mean the most to him.
—The New York Times

2024-09-01

中信出版社

Generous

808

9787521756401