12 Déc

Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals

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The decline of religion and ever increasing influence of science pose acute ethical issues for us all. Can we reject the literal truth of the Gospels yet still retain a Christian morality? Can we defend any 'moral values' against the constant encroachments of technology? Indeed, are we in danger of losing most of the qualities which make us truly human? Here, drawing on a novelist's insight into art, literature and abnormal psychology, Iris Murdoch conducts an ongoing debate with major writers, thinkers and theologians—from Augustine to Wittgenstein, Shakespeare to Sartre, Plato to Derrida—to provide fresh and compelling answers to these crucial questions. From Publishers Weekly British novelist-philosopher Murdoch's treatise on contemporary morality spans such topics as Shakespearean tragedy, Martin Buber's philosophy and the nature of the imagination. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal This book is about the interplay of metaphysical images in art, religon, and especially morals. Morality is fundamental to human nature and is to be understood, according to distinguished novelist and philosophy professor Murdoch, not merely in piecemeal analysis but in the broad synthesis of metaphysical categories that set the order and pattern of our moral experience and our concepts thereof. Moral discernment comes from concentrated attention and appears ex nihilo , as by a kind of grace that leads us from contingent detail toward a perfection that we (allegedly) know intuitively. The work draws significant influence from Plato and Kant and also discusses aspects of Schopenhauer, Wittgenstein, and Buber in detail. Far-ranging and rich with well-chosen examples, this insightful book challenges us to think more clearly about its subject.- Robert Hoffman, York Coll., CUNYCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. Review "Iris Murdoch has written a book which concerns all of us as human beings … There are pages here that one wants to embrace her for, pages that say things of fundamental human importance in a way that they have never quite been said before" —Noel Malcolm in the Sunday Telegraph"This is philosophy dragged from the cloister, dusted down and made freshly relevant to suffering and egoism, death and religious ecstasy … and how we feel compasison for others" —Terry Eagleton in the Guardian"Gripping … it enchants with a clause that sets you daydreaming, captivates with a stream of thought, empowers with reminiscences" —Ian Hacking in the London Review of Books"Anyone who has even the slightest interest in philosophical matters will find Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals an utterly absorbing book" —The Wall Street Journal"Remarkable … Iris Murdoch has once again put us all in her debt." —Alasdair MacIntyre in The New York Times Book Review About the Author Iris Murdoch (1919–1999) was born in Dublin and brought up in London. She studied philosophy at Cambridge and was a philosophy fellow at St. Anne's College for 20 years. She published her first novel in 1954 and was instantly recognized as a major talent. She went on to publish more than 26 novels, as well as works of philosophy, plays, and poetry.
16 Nov

Le vent a dit son nom – Mohamed Abdallah

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Oran, automne 1954. à la Mauresque, un espace symbole de tout un pays en agitation, au cœur de la ville indigène d’Oran, les doutes de ses occupants se multiplient et les questions abondent. Journalistes, politiques, romanciers, poètes, artistes se débattent dans un moment charnière de l’Histoire de leurs pays. Le monde ancien se meurt, tandis que le nouveau tarde à naître pour eux. Les hésitations comme les initiatives sont légion. Ils essayent de naviguer à vue dans un océan si vaste qu’il se confond avec l’horizon ; un horizon qu’ils semblent parfois oublier mais que l’auteur a essayé de donner en permanence à voir aux lecteurs à travers son roman : Le Vent a dit son Nom. multipliant les références aux figures emblématiques de l’éveil des consciences pour la liberté, Mohamed Abdallah tente d’offrir un regard neuf sur le rôle que peuvent tenir les hommes de lettres, les intellectuels, et plus généralement les gens de la culture, au moment où une Nation s’apprête à connaître de nouvelles épreuves. Autant de thèmes qui résonnent encore avec notre actualité.   « Une sage malice rayonnait de ses traits, et on avait toujours l’impression qu’il en savait plus qu’il ne voulait bien le dire, qu’une réflexion astucieuse se cachait derrière ses sourires. Son esprit vif et sa bonne bouille faisaient le bonheur de la Mauresque et de ses environs ; un rappel par son charme si tranquille que le monde pouvait encore recéler de la délicatesse. » (M. Abdallah)
09 Jan

Illuminae: The Illuminae Files: Book 1

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For fans of Marie Lu comes the first book in an epic series that bends the sci-fi genre into a new dimension.

“A truly beautiful novel that redefines the form." —Victoria Aveyard, bestselling author of Red Queen

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than a speck at the edge of the universe. Now with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A plague has broken out and is mutating with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a web of data to find the truth, it’s clear the only person who can help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

“Prepare yourselves for Illuminae.” —EW.com

“[Y]ou’re not in for an ordinary novel experience. . . .” —Bustle.com

“A truly interactive experience. . . . A fantastically fun ride.” —MTV.com

★ “[O]ut-of-this-world awesome.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred

★ “…stylistically mesmerizing.” —Publishers Weekly, starred

★ “[A]n arresting visual experience.”—Booklist, starred

★ “[A] game-changer.” —Shelf Awareness, starred

“Brace yourself. You're about to be immersed in a mindscape that you'll never want to leave.” —Marie Lu, bestselling author of the Legend trilogy

"Genre: Undefinable. Novel: Unforgettable." —Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of Beautiful Creatures & author of Unbreakable

“An exuberant mix of space opera, romance, zombies, hackers, and political thrills.” —Scott Westerfeld, bestselling author of Zeroes and Uglies

“Stunningly creative. Smart, funny, and romantic.” —Veronica Rossi, bestselling author of Under the Never Sky

“This is one of those rare books that will truly keep your heart pounding.” —Beth Revis, bestselling author of Across the Universe

“This book is xxxxing awesome.”
—Laini Taylor, bestselling author of Daughter of Smoke and Bone

From the Hardcover edition.
12 Déc

As I Lay Dying: A Norton Critical Edition (Norton Critical Editions)

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“Michael Gorra approaches his second edition of As I Lay Dying with the scholarly care, attention, and intellectual suppleness typical of all his work. Not only does his introduction sparkle―navigating us with ease and fluency through the history and significance of a novel that precisely because of what Gorra rightly calls its formal “perfect[ion]” is often admired less than Faulkner’s other, more “monumental” and “difficult” texts. But Gorra’s choice of supplementary materials also reflects his commitment to presenting his readers with a full and unflinching view of Faulkner as an American writer with an increasingly contentious position within the very canon he helped to shape.” ―Pardis Dabashi, Bryn Mawr College“Place and time play a significant role in the literature of the American South, yet this Critical Edition of As I Lay Dying offers a way of engaging with the work of William Faulkner beyond the traditional boundaries of Southern literature. The accessible readings and criticism that are part of this book allow readers to recognize the ways As I Lay Dying―and all of Faulkner’s literary work―captured an idea of the American South while at the same time uncovering something universal and profound about the human condition.” ―W. Ralph Eubanks, University of MississippiThis Norton Critical Edition is based on the 1985 corrected text and is accompanied by newly updated and expanded explanatory annotations and an introduction by Michael Gorra.“Backgrounds and Contexts” is divided into three sections, each of which includes a concise introduction by Michael Gorra that carefully frames the issues presented, with particular attention to As I Lay Dying’s place in Faulkner’s literary life. “Contemporary Reception” includes a selection of seven reviews, including those by Julia K. W. Baker, Henry Nash Smith, and Valery Larbaud. “The Writer and His Work” examines Faulkner’s own claims regarding the composition of the novel and his changing opinions over time, sample pages from the manuscript, his Nobel Prize address, and additional writings by Faulkner on Yoknapatawpha County. “Cultural Context” reprints seven essays and advertisements―three selections new to the Second Edition―along with other materials that address questions of Southern motherhood, Agrarianism, and the Southern grotesque.“Criticism” begins with the editor’s introduction to As I Lay Dying’s critical history and scholarly reception. Eleven critical essays are included―five new to the Second Edition―by Olga W. Vickery, Cleanth Brooks, Eric Sundquist, Doreen Fowler, Dorothy J. Hale, Patrick O’Donnell, John T. Matthews, John Limon, Richard Godden, Susan Scott Parrish, and Erin E. Edwards.A chronology and a selected bibliography are also included.
12 Déc

A Deadly Education

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____________In the start of an all-new series, the bestselling author of Uprooted and Spinning Silver introduces you to a dangerous school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death - until one girl begins to rewrite its rules.____________Enter a school of magic unlike any you have ever encountered.There are no teachers, no holidays, friendships are purely strategic, and the odds of survival are never equal.Once you're inside, there are only two ways out: you graduate or you die.El Higgins is uniquely prepared for the school's many dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out untold millions - never mind easily destroy the countless monsters that prowl the school.Except, she might accidentally kill all the other students, too. So El is trying her hardest not to use it... that is, unless she has no other choice.Wry, witty, endlessly inventive, and mordantly funny - yet with a true depth and fierce justice at its heart - this enchanting novel reminds us that there are far more important things than mere survival.____________'Hilarious and wild! Take any fictional magic school, make it as over-the-top dangerous as possible, and populate it with a bunch of snarky teenagers: the result is pure batshit fun.'N.K. Jemisin, three-time Hugo Award winner and author of The Fifth Season'Novik deliciously undoes expectations about magic schools, destined heroes, and family legacies. A gorgeous book about monsters and monstrousness, chockablock with action, cleverness, and wit.' Holly Black, #1 New York Times bestselling author'The Scholomance is the dark school of magic I've been waiting for, and its wise, witty, and monstrous heroine is one I'd happily follow anywhere-even into a school full of monsters.'Katherine Arden, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale'The wonderful cast of characters will grab a hold of your heart and you'll never want to leave this deadly school ... a fantasy that delights on every level. I loved this brilliant book.'Stephanie Garber, #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Caraval series'Eyeball-meltingly brilliant. Novik is, quite simply, a genius.'Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken'Sharp, witty, and darkly effervescent, A Deadly Education is Naomi Novik's fresh take on the concept of the magic school. One of my favorite reads of the year.'Rory Power, New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls'Naomi Novik reinvents the magical school story by working a strange, funny, wild, dark magic all her own. This is not just your next great read - it's your new obsession.'Gwenda Bond'A delightfully brutal world ... and a practical, ruthless heroine with the guts and wits to survive it.'Emily Skrutskie'Fresh, smart, and delightfully unique. It's Hogwarts with higher stakes and sharper claws, and I absolutely loved it.'Alix E. Harrow'A nightmare from which I never wished to wake. Savage, inventive, and soulful, Novik grasps the totems of childhood that linger in your mind-schools of magic, curses, cutthroat classmates, monsters-only to twist them into a grand new tale that'll make you believe in magic again.'Pierce Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Dark Age