Bestselling novels by Angela Carter; Salman Rushdie; Gabriel Garcia Marquez and a multitude of others have enchanted us by blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. Their genre of writing has been variously defined as magic; magical or marvellous realism and is quickly becoming a core area of literary studies. This guide offers a first step for those wishing to consider this area in greater depth; by:exploring the many definitions and terms used in relation to the genretracing the origins of the movement in painting and fictionoffering an historical overview of the contexts for magic(al) realismproviding analysis of key works of magic(al) realist fiction; film and art.This is an essential guide for those interested in or studying one of todays most popular genres.
#982723 in eBooks 2004-08-02 2004-08-02File Name: B000OT827U
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Vital for understanding the fabric of a Chinese city and life in a work unitBy Michael R. GallagherI wanted to read this book because I was looking for an explanation as to why city blocks in China were so large--to the point where they become pedestrian unfriendly; IMO. The answer lies much in Chinas ancient urban planning; but also in the Chinese work unit concept (danwei) which is discussed in this book. Professor Lu details the conflicts that arose between urban planners and the state-owned work units in carving out space in the city. Housing reform is covered as well as descriptions of what work unit compounds were like (and how they differed from those in the Soviet Union) and how they came about. Social relations are also discussed; as well as work relations and the extent that work unit leaders would try to get around; or just plain ignore; regulations if they thought it in the best interests of their workers. Most of the book covers life before the reform and opening up; but it does look into how the city has been changing since; then as well. The walls have stayed up.It is an academic book; but reads well and is not too encumbered by theory. Its also not very long; but covers every aspect that I think needed to be covered and in just the right amount of detail. Maps and photos contribute to ones understanding.If you are interested in Chinese urban history and issues through the ages; I would suggest you start with `Cities of Aristocrats and Bureaucrats by Heng Chye Kiang for a detailed look at a highly planned Chinese imperial city during the Tang Dynasty. Then read this book for the work unit in the communist era and Chinas Urban Transition by John Friedmann for a quick look at what is happening now.