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Image courtesy of publisher's website.
y separately published work icon The American Brother single work   novel  
Issue Details: First known date: 2007... 2007 The American Brother
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'What happens when the war against global terrorism also destroys individual integrity and personal freedom? This is the bold, disturbing theme of Manfred Jurgensen’s The American Brother. Harry Greene, although a serious-minded intellectual, finds himself at times in absurdly humorous situations.

'Set in Australia and America, the novel laments the manipulation of identity when economic globalisation and international terror are intertwined. As we are carried through a series of breathtaking incidents, we confront the grim reality of how a tyranny of political counter-intelligence has set out to destroy the truth of individual, social and cultural self-determination. … A gripping and beautifully written novel which will change the way you think.' (Publication summary)

Notes

  • Dedication: In memoriam Jean Charles de Menezes 22 July 2005
  • Epigraph: Whatever did happen to my own true life? Was it taking place elsewhere? - Philip Roth, Sabbath's Theater
  • Epigraph: There are people around the planet, well comnnected and organised, who would like to kill him... - Ian McEwan, Saturday
  • Epigraph: Eh scrivi, dico; e tutto / Io prendo su me stessa. - Lorenzo da Ponte, Le Nozze di Figaro

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • Ormond, Brighton - Moorabbin area, Melbourne - Inner South, Melbourne, Victoria,: Hybrid , 2007 .
      image of person or book cover 504859343947244181.jpg
      Image courtesy of publisher's website.
      Extent: 402p.
      ISBN: 9781876462468

Works about this Work

The Post-Sovereign Novel : Biopolitical Immunities in Manfred Jurgensen’s The American Brother Michael Austin , 2016 single work criticism
— Appears in: Australian Literary Studies , 10 August vol. 31 no. 4 2016;
'The Australian government’s responses to the September 11 attacks introduced a new theme into Australian literature. Novels such as Andrew McGahan’s Underground and Richard Flanagan’s The Unknown Terrorist sought to address, in narrative form, threats to the rule of law that arose from a rapidly emerging Western security state. Drawing on the political and juridical framework of liberalism, these novels attacked an Australian political and social milieu that justified the expansion of sovereign power. This essay argues that the liberal framework informing these novels misrecognises the structure of power post-9/11: insofar as it posits an absolute dichotomy between law and sovereignty, the language of liberalism prevents us from thinking right and power concomitantly. This essay reads Manfred Jurgensen’s novel The American Brother through the political philosophy of Roberto Esposito. In doing so, it suggests that a biopolitical account of the post-9/11 security state, in the form of Esposito’s paradigm of immunisation, enables not only a coherent epistemology of contemporary sovereign power, but also opens up a critical approach to literature that thinks outside the limitations of liberal discourse.' (Publication abstract)
Fiction Susan Hawthorne , 2007 single work review
— Appears in: Island , Summer no. 111 2007; (p. 68-70)

— Review of The American Brother Manfred Jurgensen , 2007 single work novel
Unpicking the Universe Louise Swinn , 2007 single work review
— Appears in: Overland , Summer no. 189 2007; (p. 82-86)

— Review of Helen Garner and the Meaning of Everything Alex I. Jones , 2006 single work novel ; National Treasure Michael Wilding , 2007 single work novel ; The Widow and Her Hero Thomas Keneally , 2007 single work novel ; Long Afternoon of the World Graeme Kinross-Smith , 2007 single work novel ; The American Brother Manfred Jurgensen , 2007 single work novel ; Love Without Hope Rodney Hall , 2007 single work novel ; Company : A Novel Max Barry , 2006 single work novel ; The End of the World Paddy O'Reilly , 2007 selected work short story ; Dodging the Bull : Stories Paul Mitchell , 2007 selected work short story ; Rohypnol Andrew Hutchinson , 2006 single work novel ; Feather Man Rhyll McMaster , 2007 single work novel ; Omar and Enzo in the Big Talking Book Colin Batrouney , 2007 single work novel ; Confessions and Memoirs : National Anthology of New Australian Writing 2006 anthology short story extract autobiography
The Year's Work in Fiction Anthony J. Hassall , 2007 single work review
— Appears in: Westerly , November vol. 52 no. 2007; (p. 187-199)

— Review of The Best Australian Stories 2006 2006 anthology short story extract ; Love Without Hope Rodney Hall , 2007 single work novel ; India Vik Liz Gallois , 2006 selected work short story ; Glass Adriana Moya Ellis , 2006 selected work short story ; The Unknown Terrorist Richard Flanagan , 2006 single work novel ; The Unexpected Elements of Love Kate Legge , 2006 single work novel ; Nights in the Asylum Carol Lefevre , 2007 single work novel ; The American Brother Manfred Jurgensen , 2007 single work novel ; Sorry Gail Jones , 2007 single work novel ; Swallow the Air Tara June Winch , 2003 selected work short story ; The Gospel of Gods and Crocodiles Elizabeth Stead , 2007 single work novel ; Careless Deborah Robertson , 2006 single work novel ; Feather Man Rhyll McMaster , 2007 single work novel ; Carpentaria Alexis Wright , 2006 single work novel
Cliche-Riddled Tale Digby Hildreth , 2007 single work review
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 16 - 17 June 2007; (p. 24)

— Review of The American Brother Manfred Jurgensen , 2007 single work novel
Fiction Cameron Woodhead , 2007 single work review
— Appears in: The Age , 21 April 2007; (p. 22)

— Review of The American Brother Manfred Jurgensen , 2007 single work novel
Cliche-Riddled Tale Digby Hildreth , 2007 single work review
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 16 - 17 June 2007; (p. 24)

— Review of The American Brother Manfred Jurgensen , 2007 single work novel
The Year's Work in Fiction Anthony J. Hassall , 2007 single work review
— Appears in: Westerly , November vol. 52 no. 2007; (p. 187-199)

— Review of The Best Australian Stories 2006 2006 anthology short story extract ; Love Without Hope Rodney Hall , 2007 single work novel ; India Vik Liz Gallois , 2006 selected work short story ; Glass Adriana Moya Ellis , 2006 selected work short story ; The Unknown Terrorist Richard Flanagan , 2006 single work novel ; The Unexpected Elements of Love Kate Legge , 2006 single work novel ; Nights in the Asylum Carol Lefevre , 2007 single work novel ; The American Brother Manfred Jurgensen , 2007 single work novel ; Sorry Gail Jones , 2007 single work novel ; Swallow the Air Tara June Winch , 2003 selected work short story ; The Gospel of Gods and Crocodiles Elizabeth Stead , 2007 single work novel ; Careless Deborah Robertson , 2006 single work novel ; Feather Man Rhyll McMaster , 2007 single work novel ; Carpentaria Alexis Wright , 2006 single work novel
Unpicking the Universe Louise Swinn , 2007 single work review
— Appears in: Overland , Summer no. 189 2007; (p. 82-86)

— Review of Helen Garner and the Meaning of Everything Alex I. Jones , 2006 single work novel ; National Treasure Michael Wilding , 2007 single work novel ; The Widow and Her Hero Thomas Keneally , 2007 single work novel ; Long Afternoon of the World Graeme Kinross-Smith , 2007 single work novel ; The American Brother Manfred Jurgensen , 2007 single work novel ; Love Without Hope Rodney Hall , 2007 single work novel ; Company : A Novel Max Barry , 2006 single work novel ; The End of the World Paddy O'Reilly , 2007 selected work short story ; Dodging the Bull : Stories Paul Mitchell , 2007 selected work short story ; Rohypnol Andrew Hutchinson , 2006 single work novel ; Feather Man Rhyll McMaster , 2007 single work novel ; Omar and Enzo in the Big Talking Book Colin Batrouney , 2007 single work novel ; Confessions and Memoirs : National Anthology of New Australian Writing 2006 anthology short story extract autobiography
Fiction Susan Hawthorne , 2007 single work review
— Appears in: Island , Summer no. 111 2007; (p. 68-70)

— Review of The American Brother Manfred Jurgensen , 2007 single work novel
The Post-Sovereign Novel : Biopolitical Immunities in Manfred Jurgensen’s The American Brother Michael Austin , 2016 single work criticism
— Appears in: Australian Literary Studies , 10 August vol. 31 no. 4 2016;
'The Australian government’s responses to the September 11 attacks introduced a new theme into Australian literature. Novels such as Andrew McGahan’s Underground and Richard Flanagan’s The Unknown Terrorist sought to address, in narrative form, threats to the rule of law that arose from a rapidly emerging Western security state. Drawing on the political and juridical framework of liberalism, these novels attacked an Australian political and social milieu that justified the expansion of sovereign power. This essay argues that the liberal framework informing these novels misrecognises the structure of power post-9/11: insofar as it posits an absolute dichotomy between law and sovereignty, the language of liberalism prevents us from thinking right and power concomitantly. This essay reads Manfred Jurgensen’s novel The American Brother through the political philosophy of Roberto Esposito. In doing so, it suggests that a biopolitical account of the post-9/11 security state, in the form of Esposito’s paradigm of immunisation, enables not only a coherent epistemology of contemporary sovereign power, but also opens up a critical approach to literature that thinks outside the limitations of liberal discourse.' (Publication abstract)
Last amended 23 Feb 2015 12:00:19
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