Visions Of Excess: Selected Writings, 1927-1939 (Theory and History of Literature Vol 14) (Volume 14)

By Georges Bataille

Book Overview

Since the publication of Visions of Excess in 1985, there has been an explosion of interest in the work of Georges Bataille. The French surrealist continues to be important for his groundbreaking... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0816612838
• ISBN13: 9780816612833
• Release Date: June 1985
• Publisher: Univ Of Minnesota Press
• Length: 271 Pages
• Weight: 0.94 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

reductionism in a more poetic form

in reponse to stevie, i'd say that andre breton has left us infinitely more to 'go on' than the far too reductionist bataille. unlike bataille, breton was not living in the shadow of his idols (bataille:sade) but trying to generate something new. bataille's assessment of nietzsche and the surrealists as romantic icaruses also seems a self assessment; bataille could never rise above his 'need to go below'. he was guilty of precisely the same things he accused the surrealists of.

Brilliant

Im so impresed with this mans work I am obsessed. He is a rare breed of intelligence. He has a piece in this called 'Mouth" which refers tothe position our heads take well being thrown back in a scream as that of an extension to our spines, inother words that we assume an animal architecture to our bones in the most extreme pains. Batailles constant opinions detailed here in wonderful totaly controlled short pieces , is for me, the only truly awful reading I have ever done. A music piece I often play also has this effect. It is genuis to have the power of horror in works not involving the 'supernatural". I am in awe of this odd,dead man.

Disturbing and beautiful!

Bataille was French surrealist who wrote like an alien trapped on a hostile planet. In searing essays like "the Solar Anus," he almost convinces you that the end is not just near, but here. Disturbing and beautiful, this book is highly recommended.