A Tremendous Thing

Friendship from the "Iliad" to the Internet

Nonfiction, Family & Relationships, Relationships, Friendship, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Sociology, Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism
Cover of the book A Tremendous Thing by Gregory Jusdanis, Cornell University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Gregory Jusdanis ISBN: 9780801454745
Publisher: Cornell University Press Publication: December 18, 2014
Imprint: Cornell University Press Language: English
Author: Gregory Jusdanis
ISBN: 9780801454745
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Publication: December 18, 2014
Imprint: Cornell University Press
Language: English

"Why did you do all this for me?" Wilbur asked. "I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you."
"You have been my friend," replied Charlotte. "That in itself is a tremendous thing."
—from Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

Friendship encompasses a wide range of social bonds, from playground companionship and wartime camaraderie to modern marriages and Facebook links. For many, friendship is more meaningful than familial ties. And yet it is our least codified relationship, with no legal standing or bureaucratic definition. In A Tremendous Thing, Gregory Jusdanis explores the complex, sometimes contradictory nature of friendship, reclaiming its importance in both society and the humanities today. Ranging widely in his discussion, he looks at the art of friendship and friendship in art, finding a compelling link between our need for friends and our engagement with fiction. Both, he contends, necessitate the possibility of entering invented worlds, of reading the minds of others, and of learning to live with people.

Investigating the ethics, aesthetics, and politics of friendship, Jusdanis draws from the earliest writings to the present, from the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Iliad to Charlotte’s Web and "Brokeback Mountain," as well as from philosophy, sociology, evolutionary biology, psychology, and political theory. He asks: What makes friends stay together? Why do we associate friendship with mourning? Does friendship contribute to the formation of political communities? Can friends desire each other? The history of friendship demonstrates that human beings are a mutually supportive species with an innate aptitude to envision and create ties with others. At a time when we are confronted by war, economic inequality, and climate change, Jusdanis suggests that we reclaim friendship to harness our capacity for cooperation and empathy.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

"Why did you do all this for me?" Wilbur asked. "I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you."
"You have been my friend," replied Charlotte. "That in itself is a tremendous thing."
—from Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

Friendship encompasses a wide range of social bonds, from playground companionship and wartime camaraderie to modern marriages and Facebook links. For many, friendship is more meaningful than familial ties. And yet it is our least codified relationship, with no legal standing or bureaucratic definition. In A Tremendous Thing, Gregory Jusdanis explores the complex, sometimes contradictory nature of friendship, reclaiming its importance in both society and the humanities today. Ranging widely in his discussion, he looks at the art of friendship and friendship in art, finding a compelling link between our need for friends and our engagement with fiction. Both, he contends, necessitate the possibility of entering invented worlds, of reading the minds of others, and of learning to live with people.

Investigating the ethics, aesthetics, and politics of friendship, Jusdanis draws from the earliest writings to the present, from the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Iliad to Charlotte’s Web and "Brokeback Mountain," as well as from philosophy, sociology, evolutionary biology, psychology, and political theory. He asks: What makes friends stay together? Why do we associate friendship with mourning? Does friendship contribute to the formation of political communities? Can friends desire each other? The history of friendship demonstrates that human beings are a mutually supportive species with an innate aptitude to envision and create ties with others. At a time when we are confronted by war, economic inequality, and climate change, Jusdanis suggests that we reclaim friendship to harness our capacity for cooperation and empathy.

More books from Cornell University Press

Cover of the book Transfigured World by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book The Just City by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book The Technocratic Antarctic by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book Creating Christian Granada by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book Antiques by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book No Man's Land by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book Twilight of the Titans by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book Spartak Moscow by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book Food Co-ops in America by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book Virtuosi Abroad by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book Bones around My Neck by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book Gifts, Favors, and Banquets by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book Over the Horizon by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book The Burned-over District by Gregory Jusdanis
Cover of the book With God on Our Side by Gregory Jusdanis
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy