Uncommon readers : Denis Donoghue, Frank Kermode, George Steiner and the Tradition of the Common Reader PDF
Preview Uncommon readers : Denis Donoghue, Frank Kermode, George Steiner and the Tradition of the Common Reader
UNCOMMON READERS: DENIS DONOGHUE, FRANK KERMODE, GEORGE STEINER, AND THE TRADITION OF THE COMMON READER This page intentionally left blank UNCOMMON READERS Denis Donoghue, Frank Kermode, George Steiner, and the Tradition of the Common Reader Christopher J. Knight UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS Toronto Buffalo London www.utppublishing.com © University of Toronto Press Incorporated 2003 Toronto Buffalo London Printed in Canada ISBN 0-8020-8798-1 Printed on acid-free paper National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication Knight, Christopher J., 1952- Uncommon readers : Denis Donoghue, Frank Kermode, George Steiner, and the tradition of the common reader / Christopher J. Knight Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8020-8798-1 1. Donoghue, Denis. 2. Kermode, Frank, 1919- 3. Steiner, George, 1929- 4. Criticism - History - 20th century. 5. Book reviewing - History - 20th century. I. Title. PN74.K55 2003 801'.95'0922 C2003-903075-X University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial assistance to its publishing program of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial support for its publishing activities of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP). For Ian and Matthew This page intentionally left blank CONTENTS Acknowledgments ix Abbreviations xi INTRODUCTION 3 1 DENIS DONOGHUE 47 2 FRANK KERMODE 153 3 GEORGE STEINER 257 AFTERWORD 385 Notes 409 Bibliography 445 Index 489 This page intentionally left blank ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I began researching and writing Uncommon Readers while living and teaching in the American Midwest, continued while doing much the same in upstate New York, and finished, more or less, in Missoula, Montana. Now in Aberystwyth, Wales, I look back with great gratitude for the people (more numerous because of the moves) who supported me along the way. The nature of the support was, of course, various, and I could, if required, categorize it according to the familiar categories. But fearing that such might become too Byzantine, I wish to say simply that the following people come to mind when I think of the time spent writing this book: Bob Baker, John and Kathy Cassidy, Angus Collins, Jane and Randall Craig, Sarah E. Hapner, Charissa Jones, Candice L. Knight, Robert E. Knight and family, Michael Holquist, Barbara Lundin and family, Anne ('Ma') Mancini, Allyson N. May, Jill McConkey, Kristen Pederson, Barbara Porter, Jayne Rachman and family, Walter Reed, Jim Reiss, Suzie Ryan and family, Jim Sosnoski, Keith Tuma, Lois Welch, and the University of Toronto Press's two anonymous readers. The book is dedicated to my two young sons, Ian and Matthew, blessings far greater than my deserving. And, as always, my most profound gratitude goes to my parents, Robert and Rosemary Knight, for their constancy, generos- ity, and love.
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