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(More customer reviews)Diepeveen's work takes a seemingly narrow premise--the difficulty of modernist works of art (mostly fiction)--and gives an gives it a thoroughly cogent and persuasive treatment. At times repetitive, Diepeveen is nevertheless skillful at outlining the history of the development of difficulty in the works of Joyce, Eliot, Woolf, etc. and detailing the reasons for and legacy of the modernist revolution in the first half of the 20th Century. Perhaps his chief accomplishment is his depiction of the ferocity of the debate between tradionalists and innovators, a war that ultimately culminated in a complete overhaul of how books are written, how they are read, and by whom.
Interspersed throughout his history are fascinating anecdotes that reveal the contemporary relevance of the difficulty debate. The breadth of Diepeveen's research is obvious and impressive. But most of all, although Diepeveen's work deals specifically with modernism, it is a relevant study for art in general and should spur a renewed debate surrounding the controversial nature of authority and aesthetic value. A truly compelling read!
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This is the first work to analyze at length how difficulty has been crucial to modern literature and culture. The author argues that the simultaneous appearance of modernism and popular discussion about difficulty and unintelligibility in art and literature was not coincidental: difficulty allowed modernism to rise, and it was central to how modernism shaped the canon of twentieth century literature.
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