Looking Awry: An Introduction to Jacques Lacan through Popular Culture (October Books)

I didn't give this book five stars because I didn't feel I knew Lacan much better after reading it. Granted, there were a few memorable moments of Lacanian interpretation, but now that I look back on it, they were only enlightening because of background information I had from better introductory texts. Fink's 'Clinical Introduction,' and 'Lacanian Subject,' are better for a base understanding of Lacan. Overall, I felt the book was worth the read, because it was Zizek after all.. I enjoyed a lot of the literature interpretations he included, as well as film analysis. Like other reviewers have commented, this is more Zizek in here than Lacan, and this was part of the reason I decided to read this. However, I felt the overall format of the book- divided by Lacanian theoretical points- did not help the reader's already difficult task of trying to keep track of Zizek's often scattered arguments.

I read this with a view to establishing a thesis for a class in Lacan. It was immensely helpful

Exactly as promised.

LOOKING AWRY, the title of slavoj zizek's introduction of jacques lacan, is also a method of indirectly approaching lacan's work through critiques of popular fiction and film theory of the films of alfred hitchcock and a few films by other directors who worked, for the most part, in film noir of black and white films.comments on lacan's work are minimal within the body of zizek's text. the comments pertaining to lacan's work by zizek, function as signs pointing to the notes at the end of the book, and the notes pointing to lacan's writings. zizek's method does manage an introduction to the work of lacan.in the final section of zizek's text, the political ideas pulled from lacan's writings, seem to belong more to zizek than lacan. remarks made about nationalism under technological advances and the resulting racism of pizza parlors and chinese take-outs correlated with sade and kant were written here before social media, 9-11, and buzz phrases including `post-racial' and `diversity'. our time, our now, might clarify, set right, if not prove to be right or wrong, these prophecies.an excellent book for hitchcock fans or students who must read lacan, but equally an introduction to the work of slavoj zizek, who, from what the furious noise within the space surrounding him signifies, has gone on to sound off on much begun here by him.

I liked this book. I read this right after I read Sean Homer's "Jacques Lacan" from the Routledge Critical Thinkers Series. Homer's book properly initiated me into Lacan... I do not believe Zizek's book is a 'proper' introduction into Lacanian theory... it is great reading if you have already read a more measured introduction into Lacan. Bottom line: 'Looking Awry' isn't a great INTRODUCTION into Lacan....but if you are already introduced into Lacan, then "Looking Awry" is good reading.

This book is very interesting but I think it would have been better to call it "An Introduction to Popular Culture trhough Jaques Lacan". This would be a proper title because Zizek dedicates more space to tell us what some products of popular culture are about (i.e. Stephen King's novel "Pet Sematary"; Robert Sheckley's short story "The Store of the Worlds") than to explain, or even outline, the theories of Jaques Lacan. This in itself is not a critique, I just want to say that the title can be misleading. You will not find here an explanation or an introduction to Lacan, but rather a Lacanian reading or interpretation of some products of popular culture (novels, short stories and films.) If you are looking for an easy or brief rendering of Lacan, this book will not be of much help. Moreover, I would say that the readers who will profit the most are those who are already familiar with, or at least know something about, Lacanian thought. This said, I think that Zizek's Lacanian reading of popular works is very good in some cases, and somewhat poor in others. For example, he recalls the novel "Pet Sematary" but he explains almost nothing about it. The good cases, however, make it worth the effort to read the book (Zizek's writing is complicated, but so is Lacan's), and even if you do not agree with some of his points, they are still useful to encourage thought and discussion. If you are interested in the study of popular culture, the interpretation of film and literature, or in the application of Lacanian theory to social analysis, this book will certainly be of use.

smart & enjoyable.

I am struck by the negative reviews that caution readers: "Zizek is not an orthodox Lacanian! Read him only if you have already understood Lacan!" This is, of course, the typically cultish--really Catholic--approach to Lacan that treats him as a holy text, pre-supposes a series of high priests who have been properly anoited and through whom one must receive the officially sanctioned interpretation. I don't read Zizek for Lacan--I read him for Zizek, and I encourage others to do likewise. *Looking Awry* and *Enjoy Your Symptom* are prehaps the easiest approaches to Zizek and his brand of cultural criticism, as they rely almost entirely on popular culture, especially film. Zizek's perverse (and often dirty) sense of humor and tendency to read against the grain at all costs are apparent on nearly every page, which makes this a very engaging read, indeed. Intellectually, there are some problems with his approach, of course--but Zizek's voice is such a refreshing change of pace, and his constant turn to a reading that you thought was impossible (but turns out to be preversely appealing) makes them all worthwhile.

Great product