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'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
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Dedication: In memoriam Jean Charles de Menezes 22 July 2005
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Epigraph: Whatever did happen to my own true life? Was it taking place elsewhere? - Philip Roth, Sabbath's Theater
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Epigraph: There are people around the planet, well comnnected and organised, who would like to kill him... - Ian McEwan, Saturday
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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
Works about this Work
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The Post-Sovereign Novel : Biopolitical Immunities in Manfred Jurgensen’s The American Brother
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
2007
single work
review
— Appears in: Island , Summer no. 111 2007; (p. 68-70)
— Review of The American Brother 2007 single work novel -
Unpicking the Universe
2007
single work
review
— Appears in: Overland , Summer no. 189 2007; (p. 82-86)
— Review of Helen Garner and the Meaning of Everything 2006 single work novel ; National Treasure 2007 single work novel ; The Widow and Her Hero 2007 single work novel ; Long Afternoon of the World 2007 single work novel ; The American Brother 2007 single work novel ; Love Without Hope 2007 single work novel ; Company : A Novel 2006 single work novel ; The End of the World 2007 selected work short story ; Dodging the Bull : Stories 2007 selected work short story ; Rohypnol 2006 single work novel ; Feather Man 2007 single work novel ; Omar and Enzo in the Big Talking Book 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
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 2007 single work novel ; India Vik 2006 selected work short story ; Glass 2006 selected work short story ; The Unknown Terrorist 2006 single work novel ; The Unexpected Elements of Love 2006 single work novel ; Nights in the Asylum 2007 single work novel ; The American Brother 2007 single work novel ; Sorry 2007 single work novel ; Swallow the Air 2003 selected work short story ; The Gospel of Gods and Crocodiles 2007 single work novel ; Careless 2006 single work novel ; Feather Man 2007 single work novel ; Carpentaria 2006 single work novel -
Cliche-Riddled Tale
2007
single work
review
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 16 - 17 June 2007; (p. 24)
— Review of The American Brother 2007 single work novel
-
Fiction
2007
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 21 April 2007; (p. 22)
— Review of The American Brother 2007 single work novel -
Cliche-Riddled Tale
2007
single work
review
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 16 - 17 June 2007; (p. 24)
— Review of The American Brother 2007 single work novel -
The Year's Work in Fiction
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 2007 single work novel ; India Vik 2006 selected work short story ; Glass 2006 selected work short story ; The Unknown Terrorist 2006 single work novel ; The Unexpected Elements of Love 2006 single work novel ; Nights in the Asylum 2007 single work novel ; The American Brother 2007 single work novel ; Sorry 2007 single work novel ; Swallow the Air 2003 selected work short story ; The Gospel of Gods and Crocodiles 2007 single work novel ; Careless 2006 single work novel ; Feather Man 2007 single work novel ; Carpentaria 2006 single work novel -
Unpicking the Universe
2007
single work
review
— Appears in: Overland , Summer no. 189 2007; (p. 82-86)
— Review of Helen Garner and the Meaning of Everything 2006 single work novel ; National Treasure 2007 single work novel ; The Widow and Her Hero 2007 single work novel ; Long Afternoon of the World 2007 single work novel ; The American Brother 2007 single work novel ; Love Without Hope 2007 single work novel ; Company : A Novel 2006 single work novel ; The End of the World 2007 selected work short story ; Dodging the Bull : Stories 2007 selected work short story ; Rohypnol 2006 single work novel ; Feather Man 2007 single work novel ; Omar and Enzo in the Big Talking Book 2007 single work novel ; Confessions and Memoirs : National Anthology of New Australian Writing 2006 anthology short story extract autobiography -
Fiction
2007
single work
review
— Appears in: Island , Summer no. 111 2007; (p. 68-70)
— Review of The American Brother 2007 single work novel -
The Post-Sovereign Novel : Biopolitical Immunities in Manfred Jurgensen’s The American Brother
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)
- Brisbane, Queensland,
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cUnited States of America (USA),cAmericas,