Dwelling in Fiction Volume 46: Poetics of Place and the Experimental Novel in Latin America

Dwelling in Fiction: Poetics of Place and the Experimental Novel in Latin America examines the impact of difficult reading on readers of mid-century Latin American literature, highlighting the formal experiments of writers such as JosÉ MarÍa Arguedas, JoÃo GuimarÃes Rosa, and Juan JosÉ Saer. It explores the limitations and possibilities of literature for conveying place-specific forms of life, positioning readers as outsiders and encouraging them to engage their senses and learn to dwell in unknown textual landscapes. The book draws on a transnational community of thinkers and writers to show how their aesthetic practices anticipate contemporary turns toward affect, embodiment, decoloniality, and ecological thought.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2023
Publisher: Northwestern University Press

The mid-twentieth century saw a significant shift in the literary landscape of Latin America, as writers embarked on radical formal experiments that challenged the traditional modes of reading and interpretation. These experiments introduced friction, opacity, and self-reflexivity to the very act of reading, forcing readers to engage with the text on a deeper level. In her book, Dwelling in Fiction: Poetics of Place and the Experimental Novel in Latin America, Ashley R. Brock explores the boundaries and potentialities of literature in conveying place-specific forms of life.

Brock focuses on authors such as JosÉ MarÍa Arguedas, JoÃo GuimarÃes Rosa, and Juan JosÉ Saer, who are celebrated for universalizing regional themes. However, Brock argues that these writers were ambivalent towards their eras' "boom," and their works reflect a nuanced understanding of the complexities of their time.

Rather than simply resisting or critiquing the commodification and political instrumentalization of rural topics and types, Brock's countertrend of critical regionalism positions readers as outsiders, encouraging them to engage their senses, train their attention, and learn to dwell in unknown textual landscapes. By drawing on a transnational community of thinkers and writers, Brock demonstrates how their midcentury aesthetic practices of sensorial pedagogy anticipate contemporary turns toward affect, embodiment, decoloniality, and ecological thought.

One of the key themes of Dwelling in Fiction is the idea of place as a catalyst for literary innovation. Brock argues that the specificities of place, such as geography, culture, and history, can inspire writers to create new forms of expression and narrative. She explores how authors such as Arguedas, GuimarÃes Rosa, and Saer use place as a means of exploring the complexities of human experience, such as identity, belonging, and the relationship between nature and culture.

Another important aspect of Brock's book is the role of the reader in the literary process. She argues that readers must actively engage with the text, using their senses and imagination to interpret and understand the meaning of the work. Brock encourages readers to slow down, pay attention to the details, and consider the broader social and political context in which the text was produced.

Through her analysis of Latin American literature, Brock offers a fresh perspective on the role of literature in shaping our understanding of the world. She challenges traditional notions of literature as a passive medium that simply conveys information, and instead emphasizes the active role that readers play in constructing meaning. Dwelling in Fiction is a valuable contribution to the field of literary studies, and it will be of interest to scholars and readers alike.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780810146532