Strangers, Gods and Monsters Interpreting Otherness [Paperback]

Strangers, Gods and Monstersis a fascinating look at how human identity is shaped by three powerful but enigmatic forces. Often overlooked in accounts of how we think about ourselves and others, Richard Kearney skilfully shows, with the help of vivid examples and illustrations, how the human outlook on the world is formed by the mysterious triumvirate of strangers, gods and monsters.
Throughout, Richard Kearney shows howStrangers, Gods and Monstersdo not merely reside in myths or fantasies but constitute a central part of our cultural unconscious. Above all, he argues that until we understand better that the Other resides deep within ourselves, we can have little hope of understanding how our most basic fears and desires manifest themselves in the external world and how we can learn to live with them.Richard Kearneyis Professor of Philosophy at Boston College and University College Dublin. His publications include On Stories,Wake of Imaginationand Postnationalist Ireland(all published by Routledge), and Sam's Fall(novel).