MDDM World-as-text

[jbor]

Louis Menand's NYRB review of _M&D_ was the best of the crop imo.

http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a9504067/diss/rezmenand.htm

"The settling of America is an allegory for the way getting people to think
alike depletes the world."

Thanks for the heads up on his book.

best


MalignD wrote:

> 
> I recently read Louis Menand's book on the pragmatists (a term, by the way,
> equally disliked by James, Dewey, and Pierce), The Metaphysical Club.  One
> key idea is that ideas not become ideologies, that ideas should be useful
> and, one's ideas can/should freely change with changing times and issues.  It
> is akin to what I was saying yesterday about literary theories as tools.
> 
> Pick up a hammer, put down a saw, when the board is cut and needs to be
> nailed.
>