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  • Useful Fictions: Evolution, Anxiety, and the Origins of Literature (Frontiers of Narrative)

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Useful Fictions: Evolution, Anxiety, and the Origins of Literature (Frontiers of Narrative) Hardcover – Illustrated, January 1, 2011

by Michael Austin (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars (2)
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"We tell ourselves stories in order to live," Joan Didion observed in The White Album. Why is this? Michael Austin asks, in Useful Fictions. Why, in particular, are human beings, whose very survival depends on obtaining true information, so drawn to fictional narratives? After all, virtually every human culture reveres some form of storytelling. Might there be an evolutionary reason behind our species' need for stories? Drawing on evolutionary biology, anthropology, narrative theory, cognitive psychology, game theory, and evolutionary aesthetics, Austin develops the concept of a "useful fiction," a simple narrative that serves an adaptive function unrelated to its factual accuracy. In his work we see how these useful fictions play a key role in neutralizing the overwhelming anxiety that humans can experience as their minds gather and process information. Rudimentary narratives constructed for this purpose, Austin suggests, provided a cognitive scaffold that might have become the basis for our well-documented love of fictional stories. Written in clear, jargon-free prose and employing abundant literary examples--from the Bible to One Thousand and One Arabian Nights and Don Quixote to No Exit--Austin's work offers a new way of understanding the relationship between fiction and evolutionary processes--and, perhaps, the very origins of literature. Named an Outstanding Academic Title for 2011 by CHOICE Magazine. 
"My hope is that Austin's persuasive, approachable book will allow those reluctant to entertain the notion of universals and biology a chance to see that doing so does not mean engaging in that misnomer social Darwinism. Austin's book is a must read."--Kathryn Stasio, The Eighteenth Century: A Critical Bibliography
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  1. Part of series
    Frontiers of Narrative
  2. Print length
    192 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    University of Nebraska Press
  5. Publication date
    January 1, 2011
  6. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.9 x 8.6 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0803230265
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0803230262
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Rich in relevant allusions to scientific research and literary art, Austin''s book demonstrates that the evolutionary utility of fiction, more than its truth or beauty, supports the universal attraction of humans to literature."—C.J. Bell, Choice (C.J. Bell Choice )

About the Author

Michael Austin is the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Newman University in Wichita, Kansas. He is the author of Reading the World: Ideas That Matter and the editor of A Voice in the Wilderness: Conversations with Terry Tempest Williams.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Nebraska Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 2011
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Illustrated
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0803230265
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0803230262
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.6 inches
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ Frontiers of Narrative
  • Best Sellers Rank: #3,724,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars (2)

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Michael Austin

Michael Austin

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Michael Austin is Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana. He is the author of several textbooks and works of literary criticism along with "That's Not What They Meant: Reclaiming the Founding Fathers from America's Right Wing," which examines the way that America's founding narratives have been incorporated into contemporary political discourse. His most recent book, "We Must Not Be Enemies: Restoring America's Civic Tradition" explores the importance of arguing as friends in a democracy.

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
2 global ratings

Top review from the United States

  • JFleet
    5.0 out of 5 stars Why do I care about Ishmael?
    Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2013
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I have recently finished my second reading of this book and look forward to exploring it again. Useful Fictions is on my very, very short list of "lost on a desert island" books. I am sure it will be a long term companion. Dr. Austin has created a thoughtful introduction to what it means to be a thinking human being. Why do we enjoy great literature? Why do we care deeply about the successes and failures of fictional characters in great books? Before reading this book I would have been tempted to simply say "because...it's a good story," enough said. Dr. Austin has combed through dense scientific publications and experimental processes to introduce us to the cognitive evolution of the human brain. The great step from a simple being of predator/prey existence to becoming an Ernest Hemingway or admirer of Jane Austen. Without always giving definitive answers to complicated questions Dr. Austin causes his reader to contemplate and speculate on the concepts of thought, the evolution of an ability to interpret surroundings, the creation of useful truths and even more useful fictions. This book is not to be read quickly. It is one to be studied, browsed and pondered in equal measure. Why do I get lost in the lives of Ishmael or Faustus? Because I am human, I have an intellect developed over millennia, I have a desire to discover my place in the world and the world's place in me.
    5 people found this helpful
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