Introduction
In defence of civilization. The disciplines of reason and lyric poetry: Anicius Boethius, of the consolation of philosophy (c. 524-5): the foundations of resistance in dialogue and lyric
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, letters and papers from prison (1943-45): Christian More, a dialogue of comfort against tribulation: a political guide to the dilemmas of religious conscience (1934-35)
Antonio Gramsci, Prison letters (1926-37): dialogue in dialectic
Preservation of self. Memory and the prisoner: self-justification in images of grace and disgrace abounding: John Bunyan, grace abounding to the chief of sinners (1666): writing the eternally present self
Oscar Wilde, De profundis (1897): a pastoral letter of disgrace abounding
Memorial narratives as salvation for the feminine self. Marie-Jeanne Roland, Memoirs (1793): writing history herself
Anne Frank, The diary and tales from the secret annexe (1942-44): life writing
The consolations of imagination and lyric poetry. Jean Cassou, trente-trois sonnets composes au secret (1943)
Irina Ratushinskaya, Pencil letter and No I'm not afraid (1982-86): Preserving the conviction of a poet. Testimony for mankind with hindsight and beyond resistance: Primo Levi, If this is a man (1947) and Ad ora incerta (1947-86): resisting the demolition of a man - Primo Levi, Moments of reprieve (1981): in defence of a civilization
Conclusions: beyond testimony.
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The consolations of writing : literary strategies of resistance from Boethius to Primo Levi by Rivkah Zim. ISBN 9780691161808. Published by Princeton University Press in 2014. Publication and catalogue information, links to buy online and reader comments.
