Edwin Morgan: Inventions of Modernity Book

The title is misleading: this book is not about narrative strategies in postmodern texts. It is a survey of what is going on in narrative theory since the demise of modernism. It could just as easily have been titled "Contemporary Narrative Theory." That said, this is no mere survey. Currie is combative, and downright ornery at times. He argues with every point of view he presents. The primary thing that Currie documents is the transition that has occurred in Narratology. He argues that it is not in fact dead, its roots in formalism perhaps eclipsed, but that only served to surface new issues. This is not an easy book. Despite a chapter entitled "Terminologisation" where Currie rails against criticism's penchant for terminology for terminology's sake, he never quite escapes it himself. He offers an interesting reading of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde that will send me off to read that book to see if his reading is on target.