The Telephone Book: Technology, Schizophrenia, Electric Speech

Rating:
Summary: Jarring is not the word
Review: It is rare to encounter work so devoid of analysis coupled with boundless arrogance, and, literally, an attack on the reader's intelligence in advance of any argumentation. It's a bad, telling sign that the first words of the volume announce to the reader that the book "is going to resist you": even Miss Ronell knows all too well the weaknesses of the text she has produced! Why not responsibly address critical objections to the substance of the text, which her opening remarks indicate she's obviously had, instead of claiming on an a priori basis intellectual brilliance no dissenting critic could possibly possess? This is a sad inaugural maneuver, one that fails to be masked by even the most elaborate typographical games. "Jarring" is not the word for this book.

Rating:
Summary: jarred old coots
Review: Ronell is the new scholarship. Praised be. Her style is innovative and she actually has something new to say about dead white guys. It's high time professors on respirators retired anyway. PS: She's the CHAIR of German Lit., Dr. Geezer.

Rating:
Summary: Avital is Cool--
Review: those who want to protect the "integrity" of academia would not enjoy this book, but what can I say? Avital is a punk. She does not ask you to love her. Yet I find her writings generous; those who always feel to be orphans of society can understand what is going on in this book as well as her "Crack Wars" and recent "Stupidity." She is very much interested in transforming the world. I am contiually inspired by her writings. Aside from Nietzsche, she is the only one who has shown me that philosophy can be rock n roll.