Introduction

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. List of Abbreviations v
3. Introduction 1
4. Notes on Sontag
5. Against Interpretation 23
6. Early Memories of Sontag 37
7. Politics and Personae 47
8. Bêtes Noires 66
9. Crisis as Starting-Point 79
10. Are the Arts Progressive? 83
11. The Stylistics of Demystification 88
12. The Aphoristic Essay 93
13. The Film Essays 99
14. My Favorite Book of Hers 111
15. Readers Feeling Stupid 129
16. The Benefactor 135
17. Humor and Seriousness 141
18. Death Kit 143
19. Shallow America 149
20. The Volcano Lover 159
21. Performance, Character, and Theatre 166
22. The Essay Form, Transgression, and Innovation 171
23. Don’t Get Personal 174
24. Later Memories of Sontag 184
25. Writings on Photography 202
26. More on Politics 217
27. On 9/11 and Television 223
28. Greatness Besieged 227
29. Illness and Death 233
30. Acknowledgments 247