"Heidegger was a uniquely gifted practitioner of the difficult art of reading. But his achievements have been overlooked or neglected or drastically misunderstood by mainstream literary theorists and critics. Timothy Clark's accessible, neat and reliable introduction goes a long way towards setting the record straight."-Jonathan Ree, Middlesex University "Timothy Clark's Martin Heidegger is an intelligent, highly accessible introduction to the German philosopher's complex intellectual trajectory. In its focus on Heidegger's engagement with art and language, Clark's book will be of particular interest to students of aesthetics, literature, and theory."-Michael Eskin, Columbia University
Since the publication of Being and Time (1927), Martin Heidegger has remained one of the most influential figures in contemporary thought. Until now, however, there has been no clear introduction to his crucial work on art, language and poetry for students of literary and cultural studies. This guidebook provides an ideal entry-point for readers new to Heidegger, touching upon such issues and concepts as: The limits of 'theory' The history of being The origin of the work of art Language The literary work Poetry and the political. The author also introduces the recent controversy of Heidegger's involvement with Nazism. Heidegger is not an 'easy' thinker. However, he is a crucial thinker. This accessible volume transforms the daunting task of reading Heidegger into an exciting and necessary challenge.