Utterly Other Discourse: The Texts of Christine Brooke-Rose

The British novelist and critic Christine Brooke-Rose (born 1923) is increasingly being regarded as one of the most significant writers of the contemporary period. In her dozen novels she has explored themes as diverse as biligualism (as a metaphor for alienation) and the influence of computer technology on the humanities.

As these themes suggest, Brooke-Rose is sometimes perceived as a difficult writer, especially given the dazzling virtuosity of the linguistic wordplay that enlivens her later novels. Utterly Other Discourse (a phrase from her 1984 novel Amalgamemnon ) provides a valuable introduction to her work; in fifteen essays–some previously published, some written for this book–scholars from America, England, and Europe examine her work from a variety of critical angles.