James Tait Black Memorial Prizes
1 appearances
-
Edition 91 (2009) Winner
John Carey
ジョン・ケアリー
John Carey
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1934-04-05 （Barnes, London）
- Nationality
- British
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Barnes, London → Oxford, United Kingdom
Career
- Occupations
- Literary critic, Professor, Book reviewer
- Active Years
- 1958-
- Affiliations
- Merton College, University of Oxford, University of Oxford, The Sunday Times (chief book reviewer)
- Memberships
- Royal Society of Literature (Fellow), British Academy (Fellow)
- Influenced By
- John Milton, John Donne, Ben Jonson, Robert Browning, Saki (H. H. Munro)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond and East Sheen Boys' Grammar School (now Richmond Park Academy) | — | — | — | — | United Kingdom |
| St John's College, Oxford | Faculty of English Language and Literature | English Literature | MA, DPhil | — | United Kingdom |
Richmond and East Sheen Boys' Grammar School (now Richmond Park Academy)
Country:
United Kingdom
Won an Open Scholarship to St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
Faculty of English Language and Literature
/ English Literature
Degree:
MA, DPhil
Country:
United Kingdom
Studied at Oxford; later held academic posts at several Oxford colleges
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature | — | — | Royal Society of Literature | 選出 |
| — | Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) | — | — | British Academy | 選出 |
Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
1982
Organization:
Royal Society of Literature
Result:
選出
Fellow of the British Academy (FBA)
Organization:
British Academy
Result:
選出
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Intellectuals and the Masses: Pride and Prejudice among the Literary Intelligentsia, 1880–1939
1992 Literary criticismA critique of the literary intelligentsia's elitism and a defence of mass culture, arguing for a reassessment of previously dismissed popular writers such as Arnold Bennett.
mass culturecritique of elitismreassessment of modernism
What Good Are the Arts?
2005 Cultural criticismAn exploration of the value of the arts that challenges elitist assumptions and argues for a broader understanding of why arts matter to the public.
public value of the artsanti-elitismculture and society
John Donne: Life, Mind and Art
1981 Literary biography / criticismA seminal study of John Donne that reinterprets his poetry in the light of his life and family history; revised edition published in 1990.
religion and poetrylife-history and literary outputmetaphysical poetry
The Violent Effigy: A Study of Dickens's Imagination
1973 Literary studyA study of Charles Dickens's imagination and creativity; later republished with revisions.
Victorian literaturetheory of imaginationauthor study
The Poems of John Milton (editor, with Alastair Fowler)
1968 Editing / scholarly editionA co-edited scholarly edition of John Milton's poems, including editorial notes and commentary.
reappraisal of canonical poetrytextual editing
The Unexpected Professor: An Oxford Life in Books
2014 MemoirA memoir recounting childhood in wartime, academic career, and later life as a book reviewer and literary journalist.
memoiracademic lifebook reviewing
A Little History of Poetry
2020 Introductory history / GuideAn accessible introduction to the history and enjoyment of poetry, covering a wide range of poets and works.
history of poetryguidance for readers
Sunday Best: 80 Great Books from a Lifetime of Reviews
2022 Book reviews / Selected essaysA selection of essays and reviews on eighty notable books drawn from a lifetime of reviewing.
book reviewingreader's guide
Bibliography
- The Poems of John Milton (editor, 1968)
- Andrew Marvell: A Critical Anthology (editor, 1969)
- The Violent Effigy: A Study of Dickens's Imagination (1973)
- John Donne: Life, Mind and Art (1981; rev. 1990)
- The Intellectuals and the Masses (1992)
- What Good Are the Arts? (2005)
- The Unexpected Professor (2014)
- A Little History of Poetry (2020)
- Sunday Best: 80 Great Books from a Lifetime of Reviews (2022)
Translations by Author
- John Milton: Christian Doctrine (translator, 1971)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Clear, argumentative prosePolemic, anti-elitist toneHistorically grounded scholarly approach
- Recurring Motifs
- mass culture vs. elitismrelationship between literature and societyre-evaluation of neglected writers
Legacy
Through his academic work at Oxford and decades of book reviewing, Carey has had a significant impact on late 20th- and early 21st-century English literary criticism, particularly for defending popular culture and challenging elitist valuations.
Academic Societies
- Royal Society of Literature
- British Academy
Archives
- Merton College Archives
In Popular Culture
- Appearances on cultural TV and radio programmes (e.g. Newsnight Review, Saturday Review)
Quotes
-
'The hero of this book' is Arnold Bennett, whose 'writings represent a systematic dismemberment of the intellectuals' case against the masses.'
Source: The Intellectuals and the Masses (1992) (1992)
Trivia
- Has been a beekeeper for decades
- Married to Gill since 1960
- Two sons (Leo and Thomas)
- Chaired the Booker Prize judging panel twice (involvement in 1982 and 2004)
- Chief book reviewer for The Sunday Times since 1977
- Became a professor in 1975 and retired as emeritus in 2002