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Notes on Camp

Series: Penguin Modern
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( 7,864 ratings, 1,057 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Notes on Camp by Susan Sontag explores the concept of "camp" as an aesthetic sensibility characterised by an appreciation of artifice, stylisation, and irony. The book delves into how camp transcends traditional notions of beauty and seriousness, celebrating exaggerated or theatrical expressions in culture.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy thought-provoking essays that delve into cultural studies, exploring the nuances of aesthetics, style, and the unconventional with insightful analysis and wit.

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Notes on Camp

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In Notes on Camp, Susan Sontag explores the intriguing and often misunderstood aesthetic of "camp," delving into the reasons why certain art forms, fashion, and cultural expressions resonate uniquely with audiences. Through incisive analysis and sharp insights, Sontag unravels the complex interplays between taste, irony, and exaggerated style. This essay is a compelling exploration of the pseudo-serious, the extravagant, and the beautifully banal, providing readers with an eye-opening understanding of how "camp" has infiltrated various aspects of culture.

Selecting two of her most renowned essays, this volume includes both Notes on "Camp" and Against Interpretation. These essays were pioneering works of criticism that dismantled traditional boundaries separating 'high' and 'low' culture, propelling Susan Sontag to literary stardom.

The Penguin Modern Classics series celebrates its pioneering spirit by offering fifty new books, each priced at e1, from inspiring essays to groundbreaking fiction and poetry. As part of this collection, Sontag’s essays are indispensable reads for anyone interested in cultural studies, literature, or aesthetics.

Sontag famously stated, "The ultimate Camp statement: it’s good because it’s awful." This paradoxical pronouncement captures the essence of camp as an art form that celebrates artifice and stylisation over content and sincerity. Her exploration goes beyond mere definition, diving into historical precedents and cultural ramifications, thus making her work a seminal text in the realm of literary criticism and cultural studies.

Notes on Camp remains a vital piece of writing that continues to influence and inspire discussions about the ever-evolving landscapes of art and culture. Through eloquent prose and thoughtful examination, Sontag invites readers to reconsider their perceptions of taste, value, and the nature of art itself.

Series: Penguin Modern

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Notes on Camp by Susan Sontag is praised for its insightful and pioneering analysis of camp aesthetics and culture, blending philosophical depth with accessible prose. Reviewers commend Sontag's ability to articulate complex ideas about art and sensibility with clarity and wit, making it a seminal text in cultural criticism.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241339701

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 February 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 6.0mm

Width: 110.0mm

Height: 160.0mm

Weight: 46g

Pages: 64

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About the Author

Susan Sontag was born in Manhattan in 1933 and studied at the universities of Chicago, Harvard and Oxford. Her non-fiction works include On Photography, Regarding the Pain of Others and At the Same Time. She was also the author of four novels, including The Volcano Lover and In America, as well as a collection of stories and several plays. She was awarded the Jerusalem Prize, and received the Prince of Asturias Prize for Literature and the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. She died in December 2004.

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