The Art of Looking Back by Maggie McKinley - 9780807186091

Name: The Art of Looking Back by Maggie McKinley - 9780807186091
Brand: Louisiana State University Press

Louisiana State University Press

The Art of Looking BackJoan Didion and American Nostalgia\nAuthor(s): Maggie McKinley\nFormat: Hardback\nPublisher: Louisiana State University Press, United States\nImprint: Louisiana State University Press\nISBN-13: 9780807186091, 978-0807186091\nSynopsis\nIn The Art of Looking Back, Maggie McKinley evaluates the complex nature of nostalgia in the canon of Joan Didion, a theme that has often been taken for granted, oversimplified, and misunderstood. In reassessing this fraught concept, McKinley emphasizes the productive rather than regressive or escapist qualities of nostalgia in Didion's work, highlighting its role as a critical tool used to dissect cultural myths and understand individual identity. McKinley's contextualized analysis offers a nuanced understanding of Didion's views of American history, national rhetoric, hubris, gender politics, grief and loss, and more, underscoring why Didion's writing remains deeply relevant as a cultural touchstone in the twenty-first century.