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Benjamin Crossing: A Journey into Literature and Philosophy

Dwayne Mitchell

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Published in Benjamin S Crossing Jay Parini

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Benjamin Crossing is a novel that explores the life and work of Walter Benjamin, one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century. The novel follows Benjamin on his journey from his childhood in Berlin to his exile in Paris and finally to his tragic death in Spain. Along the way, Benjamin encounters a wide range of people and ideas, including the poets Bertolt Brecht and Paul Celan, the philosopher Theodor Adorno, and the literary critic Georg Lukács. Through these encounters, Benjamin develops his own unique philosophy, which is characterized by its emphasis on the importance of memory, experience, and language.

Benjamin's Crossing

by Jay Parini

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2816 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	389 pages

Jay Parini's Benjamin Crossing is a masterful work of historical fiction that brings to life one of the most important thinkers of the 20th century. Parini's prose is elegant and evocative, and he captures the essence of Benjamin's thought with remarkable clarity. The novel is a must-read for anyone interested in philosophy, literature, or history.

Walter Benjamin: A Brief Biography

Walter Benjamin was born in Berlin in 1892. He studied philosophy and literature at the University of Berlin, where he was influenced by the work of Georg Simmel and Ernst Cassirer. After graduating, Benjamin worked as a journalist and critic, and he published his first book, The Origin of German Tragic Drama, in 1928. In the early 1930s, Benjamin fled Germany to escape the Nazis. He lived in exile in Paris and London, where he continued to write and publish his work. In 1940, Benjamin was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to a concentration camp. He died in the camp in 1940.

Benjamin's Philosophy

Benjamin's philosophy is characterized by its emphasis on the importance of memory, experience, and language. He believed that memory is essential for understanding the past and present, and that experience is the foundation of all knowledge. Benjamin also believed that language is a powerful tool that can be used to shape reality. His work has been influential in a wide range of fields, including literary criticism, philosophy, and history.

Benjamin Crossing: The Novel

Jay Parini's Benjamin Crossing is a fictionalized account of Benjamin's life and work. The novel follows Benjamin on his journey from his childhood in Berlin to his exile in Paris and finally to his tragic death in Spain. Along the way, Benjamin encounters a wide range of people and ideas, including the poets Bertolt Brecht and Paul Celan, the philosopher Theodor Adorno, and the literary critic Georg Lukács. Through these encounters, Benjamin develops his own unique philosophy, which is characterized by its emphasis on the importance of memory, experience, and language.

Parini's Benjamin Crossing is a masterful work of historical fiction that brings to life one of the most important thinkers of the 20th century. Parini's prose is elegant and evocative, and he captures the essence of Benjamin's thought with remarkable clarity. The novel is a must-read for anyone interested in philosophy, literature, or history.

Benjamin's Crossing

by Jay Parini

4.1 out of 5