Greil Marcus on his book "The Shape of Things to Come"

Fascinating conversation with renowned music journalist, cultural critic and author Greil Marcus on his new book "The Shape of Things to Come: Prophecy and the American Voice". He has authored many previous books including "Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock 'n' Roll Music" and "Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the Twentieth Century". In this conversation, Greil discusses "The Shape of Things to Come" and its "kaleidoscopic investigation of American identity" -- he ruminates as only he can about what America actually is -- an idea -- and how this has impacted the country and its idea of itself since its founding to today. An extraordinary discussion with a master writer and storyteller on how he sees America and how America sees itself.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Greil
• Marcus
• Alcove
• Mark
• Molaro
• Janet
• Lawler
• Shape
• Things
• Come
• Mystery
• Train
• cultural
• studies
• American
• History
• Winthrop

[omegana]

That was very interesting...

[tomcruiseisagayalien]

excellent discussion on a great topic

[sharegrace]

The debt accumulates. Some say the blood of 50,000,000 abortions in America since 1973 will be the cause of great blow back...as Greil says, terrifying, frightening...but most will not pay heed... Someone from the left will eventually have the courage to write about this horror, this holocaust.

[coupelikeacaravan]

Why did it have to end?

[bapyou]

I've been a fan of Marcus's writing since Mystery Train: I still have the copy I checked out of my high school library & never returned! Still the best book ever written about rock'n'roll, because it's not only about the music, but rock-n-roll in the broader context of America as an idea.

Lipstick Traces is a tour de force about the Sex Pistols and their cultural antecedents, with an irresistable subtitle: A Secret History of the 20th Century.

Read his work, you'll never be the same again.

[alia4eva]

great interview, he's ahead on any game out there, he def knows the shape of things to come, very deep!

[bapyou]

"Who is the other guy he mentions besides Roth?"

John Dos Passos.

[lughlamh]

Who is the other guy he mentions besides Roth?

[neothomist1275]

"The specific values of art are technical values, more permanent and definite than the adventitious analogies on which a stray observer usually bases his views. Only a technical education can raise judgments above impertinent biography." -- George Santayana

[mightyBRB]

I believe Mr. Marcus' first name is

pronounced "Gree-il," not "Gry-il."

[stevebremner]

Best interview ever by Mark Molero! And that is saying a lot!!!!