Cultural Amnesia: Notes in the Margin of My Time

I was really excited to read this book, but it became evident two chapters in that the whole thing is just a massive ego stroke to the author for having read so many books. Wouldn't have minded if he had taken the time to make the links obvious and share the information in the form of further reading, but it's all just references and assumed knowledge. I'm a well read person and yet I struggled with some of the references. Furthermore, they seemed to be in there just for the sake if it rather than to make educated connections and commentary. Thoroughly disappointing.

Georg Lichtenberg, one of the many subjects in this extended ramble, wrote: "Sometimes men come by the name of genius in the same way that certain insects come by the name of centipede; not because they have one hundred feet but because most people cannot count above fourteen. " In the 27 pages on this philosopher, Clive manages to name 115 authors, cinematographers and actors, 52 literary characters, and over 60 titles. Later, writing about Montesquieu, he remarks how often he has reread the Amis novel "Lucky Jim" because no one remembers the details of a book after one year--hence, perhaps, the name of this book, which is a desperate fight against his own inescapable conclusion. Good material is not lacking-- but finding it is more of a chore than a pleasure.

This was a tough call. I was woo'd by the title and subject, expecting a more explicit connection between events and personalities of the past and our current societal issues.If one can accept this is a one man's tour de force based upon directly or vicariously "knowing" the subject personalities, it rates 5 stars.If you were , like I, expecting something more profound with more pointed opinions, then it's 4 stars.....nevertheless, a highly interesting and quite worthwhile read .

Great book for by Aussie Ex Patfor the "Throne".2-4 pages about Australian Journalist to Austrin Poets to Russian Ballerinas.A Polymath of language and culture there is a heavy emphasis on the European culture destroyed by WW2.You have the Biggies like Hitler and Stalin but you get the people down the line like French collaborators and (Sartre was poseur compared to Camus.Neither were very heroic in the Resistance but at least Camus didn't point fingers like Sartre).Very influenced by the template set down by Jame's hero Gore Vidal.Enjoyable

CULTURAL AMNESIA is a book of over 100 essays that Clive James wrote over a 40 year period. The majority of the essays are about 20th century German, Austrian, and French cultural figures, but there are a few Russians, Asians, and Latin Americans in there as well.My favorite essays are the ones about the German & Austrian Jews that populated the Viennese cafes between the wars. Many Jewish intellectuals were denied university positions because they were Jews, so they turned the cafes into a university of their own. One especially good essay is about Egon Friedell who was not only a cabaret star but who also found time to write a cultural history of Europe in his spare time. When the Nazis came a knockin' he leapt out his apt window but (ever the conscientious humanist) yelled out a warning to those on the street below as he approached.Each essay is a kind of character sketch but also each essay contains invaluable cultural insights, some from the figures that he is sketching, and some from his own highly civilized brain (this guy has read everything and I would love a chance to peruse his library). In fact this book made me re-think what civilization is--I decided it is certain basic human decency (humane action under extreme historical conditions)and basic human qualities like understanding which of course isn't very basic at all. Anyway, you won't be sorry if you buy this book.Its one of those books that makes you feel more civilized just looking at it.James is a left of center kind of guy, but he is also a guy who has no patience for any kind of reductive catch-all theory of any kind. He's been everywhere and believes in the value of learning from experience. He's spent his life as a journalist and he always prefers the clarifying value of a fact over the seductive power of a theory--which in his view just seduces people away from sense. This is one reason he loves the worldly sophistication of the Viennese Jews who never lived in the safe confines of university communities (they couldn't), but remained in touch with everyday reality and everyday concerns and spoke in a way that everyone could understand. Hes none to fond of the Walter Benjamins & Jean Paul Sartres of the world. He also has no kind words for artists like Picasso & Borges who never seemed to be too terribly bothered by the political atrocities happening outside their studios/libraries.Each essay in this book is like a reckoning. Some good guys get saved from oblivion and some bad guys get kicked toward it, which is what you want from a highly civilized compendium of 20th century cultural knowledge/thriller, right?Highest recommendation.

I am currently a little over halfway through reading this book, and already it has had me reaching for more and more information. In fact, while reading this book, I picked up a copy of The Rebel by Albert Camus, finished it entirely, and also attempted to read War and Peace by Tolstoy. I gave up 500 pages into War and Peace, but I was able to understand James' references to it later on in the text.There were several moments where James caught me entirely off-guard with his stealth humor, and many of his essays are very enlightening. I loved his essay on Duke Ellington, for instance, because I've danced to his music for years and knew only a small amount of the peripheral knowledge of the time that James has to offer.So far, his essay on Georg Christoph Lichtenberg has been my favorite of the bunch. He, lucidly and beautifully, got to the essence of writing, carrying a theme all the way to the decadence of contemporary pornagraphy. He includes details that a more cautious and less confident writer would have dropped, and those details were not there for the shock value but to reinforce the point.I will probably re-read several of these essays due to the depth that some of them contain. This book has inspired me to learn much more due to the stories he tells and the connections he makes.

This is not casual reading. I would put it on the “must read” category for those seeking to understand where we are politically, sociologically, artistically, and practically in our “post modern” world. I am not half way through the vignettes on those minor and majestic characters who shaped my world.

Brilliant book delivered quickly, just as described

I love Clive - he shaped my life. It's so great to sit down and read a thinking person. Intelligence and calm wit ... and all the time, that wonderful voice in your head. Thank you Clive.

delivery and quality excellent.... thank you to all..

very good

Excellent brain fodder