Cultural Amnesia

Cultural Amnesia: A Masterful Collection of Essays on Twentieth-Century Luminaries, from Louis Armstrong to Franz Kafka

In Cultural Amnesia, acclaimed critic Clive James presents a series of captivating essays on the artists, thinkers, and cultural figures who shaped the twentieth century. From jazz legend Louis Armstrong to philosopher Walter Benjamin, psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud to writer Franz Kafka, and beloved children's author Beatrix Potter to literary giant Marcel Proust, James delves into the minds and works of these extraordinary individuals with wit, erudition, and insight.

Organised alphabetically by surname, this encyclopaedic volume invites readers to explore the connections James draws between these cultural icons, while also forging their own paths through the book's rich tapestry of ideas. James's essays are complemented by illuminating excursions into the minds of historical figures such as Sir Thomas Browne and Montesquieu, who paved the way for the twentieth century's intellectual and artistic achievements.

At once a deeply personal memoir and a sweeping intellectual history, Cultural Amnesia is a testament to James's lifetime of engagement with the humanities. This is a book that will inspire readers to follow their curiosity and to make their own connections across the fields of art, literature, music, philosophy, and beyond.

Hailed as 'one stupendous starburst of wild brilliance' by historian Simon Schama and 'a crash course in civilization' by novelist J. M. Coetzee, Cultural Amnesia is an indispensable guide to the figures and forces that have shaped our cultural landscape. Part of the Picador Collection, this is a book that deserves a place on the shelf of every reader who cares about the power of ideas and the legacy of human creativity.