Author: BARTH, JOHN
Title: Lost in the Funhouse. Fiction for Print, Tape, Live Voice
Description: London: Secker & Warburg, 1969. First Edition. Hardcover. ISBN: 0436036738. Dustjacket in plastic protective cover. With remnants and/or residue of sticky tape on endpapers, covers and/or dustjacket. With library stamps and labels. Slight wear to spine, covers, corners and dustjacket. ; The collection consists of 14 stories that range widely in style and structure, but are unified by their exploration of the theme of writing and the role of the writer. The titular story, "Lost in the Funhouse," is perhaps the most emblematic of Barth's approach. It tells the story of Ambrose, a young boy who visits a funhouse at the beach, but on a deeper level, it's about the process of writing and the quest for meaning within narratives. As Ambrose navigates the funhouse, encountering mirrors that distort reality and paths that lead nowhere, Barth similarly navigates through traditional narrative forms, challenging readers' expectations and highlighting the artificiality of storytelling. Other stories in the collection, such as "Night-Sea Journey" and "Menelaiad," experiment with perspective and voice, offering tales from the viewpoints of unlikely narrators, including a spermatozoon and a figure from Greek mythology, respectively. Through these diverse narratives, Barth delves into themes of identity, existence, and the creative process, all while demonstrating a deep awareness of literary tradition and the possibilities of its reinvention. ; Octavo; xii, 201 pages. Good in Good dustjacket .

Keywords: 0436036738


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