Description
Book SynopsisA translation of a succinct introduction to the challenging and far-reaching thought of Theodor W. Adorno (1903–1969), one of the twentieth centurys most important thinkers.
Trade Review“[Schweppenhäuser’s] book (now expanded and available in English in James Rolleston’s brisk and lucid translation) provides a concise but astonishingly thorough overview of the main elements of Adorno’s thought, while simultaneously highlighting both Adorno’s importance as a thinker and his continued relevance for today.” - Erica Weitzman,
German Quarterly“[I]t is fair to say that appreciating the brilliance and fecundity of Adorno’s thought remains a difficult challenge. . . . [G]iven the difficulties that are bound to be experienced, any reader new to him is likely to be eternally
grateful for the existence of Gerard Schweppenhäuser’s introductory volume. . . . Schweppenhäuser’s text is never less than eminently read -
able and often deeply insightful and it serves to remind us how, in an age dominated by consumerism, this great thinker’s ideas remain deeply relevant.” - Peter Sedgwick,
Times Higher Education Supplement“Schweppenhäuser is intimately familiar with the complexity of Adorno’s thought, but he is able to truly translate and introduce these ideas in a remarkably clear, engaging, jargon-free, and highly readable language.” - Shannon Mariotti,
Review of Politics“The book's general clarity, breadth and depth of understanding make it a valuable, informative and advanced introduction to one of the more complex thinkers of the twentieth century.” - Paul Mazzocchi,
Political Studies Review“In this work, Schweppenhäuser, through his lucid representation of Adorno’s often esoteric prose, which is augmented by James Rolleston’s exemplary
translation, and his erudite comparison with similar theorists, presents us
with an examination of Adorno that remains faithful to the theorist’s own
commitment to an interdisciplinary and contextually aware approach to
philosophy.” - Steven Leddin,
International Journal of Philosophical Studies“
Theodor W. Adorno: An Introduction is a useful survey of Adorno’s thought. It is concise, written in plain language, and focused on the most important topics and themes of the theorist’s work. Gerhard Schweppenhäuser gives basic background about the intellectual and historical context of Adorno’s thought and writings, and he makes a convincing case for the internal coherence of a complex and at times apparently heterogeneous body of work.”—
Uwe Steiner, Rice University
“This is a clear and concise overview of Theodor W. Adorno’s philosophical, political, sociological, and aesthetic thought, written by a brilliant German critical theorist. Gerhard Schweppenhäuser covers all the central topics in Adorno’s writing, shows a firm grasp not only of his work but also of the secondary literature on it, and relates his thought to the more recent theoretical literature that has challenged it.”—
George Steinmetz, University of Michigan
“This superb introduction to Adorno’s complex and difficult work is full of extraordinary insights, which will benefit the old hands as well as the beginners.”—
Fredric Jameson, Duke University
“[I]t is fair to say that appreciating the brilliance and fecundity of Adorno’s thought remains a difficult challenge. . . . [G]iven the difficulties that are bound to be experienced, any reader new to him is likely to be eternally grateful for the existence of Gerard Schweppenhäuser’s introductory volume. . . . Schweppenhäuser’s text is never less than eminently readble and often deeply insightful and it serves to remind us how, in an age dominated by consumerism, this great thinker’s ideas remain deeply relevant.” -- Peter Sedgwick * Times Higher Education *
“[Schweppenhäuser’s] book (now expanded and available in English in James Rolleston’s brisk and lucid translation) provides a concise but astonishingly thorough overview of the main elements of Adorno’s thought, while simultaneously highlighting both Adorno’s importance as a thinker and his continued relevance for today.” -- Erica Weitzman * German Quarterly *
“In this work, Schweppenhäuser, through his lucid representation of Adorno’s often esoteric prose, which is augmented by James Rolleston’s exemplary translation, and his erudite comparison with similar theorists, presents us with an examination of Adorno that remains faithful to the theorist’s own commitment to an interdisciplinary and contextually aware approach to philosophy.” -- Steven Leddin * International Journal of Philosophical Studies *
“Schweppenhäuser is intimately familiar with the complexity of Adorno’s thought, but he is able to truly translate and introduce these ideas in a remarkably clear, engaging, jargon-free, and highly readable language.” -- Shannon Mariotti * Review of Politics *
“The book's general clarity, breadth and depth of understanding make it a valuable, informative and advanced introduction to one of the more complex thinkers of the twentieth century.” -- Paul Mazzocchi * Political Studies Review *
Table of ContentsPreface to the English Edition vii
Translator's Preface xi
1. The Project of Renewing Childhood by Transforming One's Life 1
2. Critical Theory 11
3. Reason's Self-Criticism 18
Defined Negation 20
The Two Faces of Enlightenment 26
4. Rescuing What is Beyond Hope 34
Philosophy from the Perspective of Redemption 34
Primacy of the Object 38
5. The Totally Socialized Society 51
The Concept of Society 52
Liquidation of the Individual 58
Critical Theory on Morality 68
6. The Goal of the Emancipated Society 77
7. The Powerless Utopia of Beauty 91
The Destruction and Salvation of Art 93
The Silence of Music 102
The Transition from Art to Knowledge 109
Theorizing Art and Culture in the Institute for Social Research 112
Benjamin and Kracauer: Theorizing Mass Art 120
Anarchistic and Bourgeois Romanticism: Adorno's Critique of Benjamin 125
The Work of Art and the Concept of Truth 128
8. The Failure of Culture 136
The Radically Pathetic and Guilty Culture 137
Enlightenment as Mass Deception 144
Biographical Timeline 159
Notes 163
Bibliography 171
Index 179
