Conversation: A History of a Declining ArtYale University Press, 1 d’oct. 2008 - 368 pàgines Essayist Stephen Miller pursues a lifelong interest in conversation by taking an historical and philosophical view of the subject. He chronicles the art of conversation in Western civilization from its beginnings in ancient Greece to its apex in eighteenth-century Britain to its current endangered state in America. As Harry G. Frankfurt brought wide attention to the art of bullshit in his recent bestselling On Bullshit, so Miller now brings the art of conversation into the light, revealing why good conversation matters and why it is in decline. Miller explores the conversation about conversation among such great writers as Cicero, Montaigne, Swift, Defoe, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and Virginia Woolf. He focuses on the world of British coffeehouses and clubs in “The Age of Conversation” and examines how this era ended. Turning his attention to the United States, the author traces a prolonged decline in the theory and practice of conversation from Benjamin Franklin through Hemingway to Dick Cheney. He cites our technology (iPods, cell phones, and video games) and our insistence on unguarded forthrightness as well as our fear of being judgmental as powerful forces that are likely to diminish the art of conversation. |
Des de l'interior del llibre
Resultats 1 - 5 de 50.
Pàgina
... Boswell writesin hisjournalthat heexpectsto have many good conversationsduring his stayinLondon: “My viewsin coming to London thisspring were: torefresh mymind by thevariety and spirit ofthemetropolis, [and by] the conversation ofmy ...
... Boswell writesin hisjournalthat heexpectsto have many good conversationsduring his stayinLondon: “My viewsin coming to London thisspring were: torefresh mymind by thevariety and spirit ofthemetropolis, [and by] the conversation ofmy ...
Pàgina
... Boswell:“Ifyou come to settle here, wewill have onedayinthe week onwhich we willmeet by ourselves.That is the happiest conversation when there isno competition,no vanity, but a calm interchange of sentiments.” Johnson saysthat “thereare ...
... Boswell:“Ifyou come to settle here, wewill have onedayinthe week onwhich we willmeet by ourselves.That is the happiest conversation when there isno competition,no vanity, but a calm interchange of sentiments.” Johnson saysthat “thereare ...
Pàgina 12
... Boswell says : " I was at a conversation at Lang- ton's " ; he also notes that he is going to " Sir Joseph Banks's Con- versation . " The Italian cognate conversazione was often used to describe such a gathering . In 1781 Hester Thrale ...
... Boswell says : " I was at a conversation at Lang- ton's " ; he also notes that he is going to " Sir Joseph Banks's Con- versation . " The Italian cognate conversazione was often used to describe such a gathering . In 1781 Hester Thrale ...
Pàgina 13
... Boswell notes that on one occasion he did . " Though his [ Johnson's ] usual phrase for conversation was talk , yet he made a distinction ; for when he once told me that he dined the day before at a friend's house , with ' a very pretty ...
... Boswell notes that on one occasion he did . " Though his [ Johnson's ] usual phrase for conversation was talk , yet he made a distinction ; for when he once told me that he dined the day before at a friend's house , with ' a very pretty ...
Pàgina 18
... Boswell writes in his journal that he expects to have many good conversations during his stay in London : " My views in coming to London this spring were : to refresh my mind by the variety and spirit of the metropolis , [ and by ] the ...
... Boswell writes in his journal that he expects to have many good conversations during his stay in London : " My views in coming to London this spring were : to refresh my mind by the variety and spirit of the metropolis , [ and by ] the ...
Continguts
29 | |
EighteenthCentury Britain | 79 |
A Conversational Triumph Lady | 119 |
Raillery to Reverie | 150 |
From Benjamin | 194 |
From | 242 |
NINE The Ways We Dont Converse Now | 264 |
TEN The End of Conversation? | 291 |
Altres edicions - Mostra-ho tot
Frases i termes més freqüents
According Addison admired agree American anger appeared argues asked attacked attended avoid became become Boswell Britain called century cities civil clubs Coffee coffeehouses common continually conversationalist conversible world critic culture describes dinner discussion easy effect eighteenth-century England English enjoyed essay feel Franklin friends give guests human Hume ideas implies important Instant Messaging interest Italy Johnson Lady Mary leading learned less letter listen live London look mainly manners means meet mind natural never one's opinion party passions person play pleasures poem polite popular praised questions raillery reason refers remark salon sation says seems sense social society Socrates solitude sounds speaks Spectator sublime suffering Swift talk thing thought tion told turn versation wants women Woolf writers wrote young