The Appreciation of Modern French Poetry (1850-1950) Book

A very persuasive argument for a distinct tradition in modern letters tying Gustave Flaubert to James Joyce to Samuel Beckett. The last two might not be that hard to associate, but Kenner's application of mathematical precepts to their selection of language makes the connection more than biographical. In essence, Kenner thinks that these three authors (with respects to a few predecessors) write their books from a modern perception of "the book" instead of the usual assumption of "telling a story". They are comedians because they draw attention to the artifice of the book. They are stoical, because they approach composition from the wizened acceptance of the limitations before any fabricator writing after the Enlightenment.
This book is short, and shows that the best literary criticism is an art form all its own.