Description
Book SynopsisA Counter-History of Composition contests the foundational disciplinary assumption that vitalism and contemporary rhetoric represent opposing, disconnected poles in the writing tradition.
Trade ReviewHawk's remapping of the field's histories is complicated and ambitious. He takes a romp through histories of invention, vitalism, method, and dialectic from Aristotle forward, providing, among other things, a much-needed counter-history to James Berlin and a rich reading of Coleridge's method that breathes life into complex vitalisms that the field has worked at erasing. - Dr. Sherrie Gradin, Ohio University ""In this original and important contribution to composition scholarship, Byron Hawk sets out to correct a crucial misunderstanding that has plagued theory and historiography for three decades: a mischaracterization of vitalism. By providing a nuanced analysis of this crucial concept, Hawk effectively rewrites our intellectual history. A must read!"" - Gary A. Olson, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
