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    PMLA Section On Openings and Endings

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    YamFerreira

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    2. Telephone conver heweea he strane Wl indy, 4 My 208, (oud perinien One ache br cults hie tend in Amerie ry wie wo fee ener Sllar- "| TUephone conversion brween the author and Frank Shufeon, 16 May 2004, Qe ty permis. 'S Adeparuzet dnt nin sd orem anya cae that “woadaye ‘here ae evardsfor sues onthe hee cmp so ely ok for engion ‘howherT hak th eves Beal eer ter sd aleoed oe he bome ‘copes ashame” es ao ted hat oper the ete year 25 prea of NASA engineers sibel for reirement el ow oar pce progam they cannot be ‘lee And jut teenth blre le miners Haan acer hafted 50min people in che United Ses and Canny» Sette toy fod thst the oa fies etl sharge of owe engines. Te stay conc at the ‘unty'slage wy bape So ut hae the ealnedeagaeers woo can bald ‘he rade reserve xpucty inthe power gi seson 2 Trckaly data eure bas ab lied eo promped ay raed shit in cnaltent umes “Fhe Unie Sates now ranks ne dcp “nnn the porto 1 io parler atrelcenes atd cop ‘eenng dies in 98 raked hinds (US lesa. ‘Hora fl daca fw spore hey change in the aman ce Sn my Fang te rete caper Seng 49 ged for Change (13-219, 8 fora dscusin of ural changes and prs Steg fr making thee Mork, {cudigg reesty, so 75-8, 9 Pes se dscsion of hse tesa Py Fw 8-¥7, an egy ‘he Calo of arene roman nd Teute racere spi 5767, WORKS CITED “Fora Av Toon Ris, Wa Wi Happen to Qos and Access Choe ‘Be action 9 Spe, 205: BI “Heb Sara. "Le by Calarad, Stace Weigh New Approaches to Bnacing Cat ge" Chri Higher Bd 26M 200% A267 Jacko, Shite Ann. “A Cee Shorage Ren pring 2082 ole, Ani: ante utr Bn Lanka igor action the Tens ra Cory. Datos: Dake UE, 1998. Los Feet R “Ace Inds Complen” New Yrk Tom 6 Sept. 2008 A “Stage an Jorn Rear Choi ger ana 2 oe 20: Sling, ety, "US. abies Candace a Cle eras igh Chrnief ger lerion? May 208: Ate Slt, Werner “lags! Lcrarrs inthe Used Stat: What Difecence ‘Does ik MILA Anousl Convention San Diego Marriot Sen Digs Be. 20m “Though rom an nile Adjunct” Choi of gr Blain 30 Ap. 200 ALL “US. ts Suid wo Prose Too Few Sens” Choi ihr Eiaion 4 May ot Aa OPENINGS AND ENDINGS OF SCHOLARLY BOOKS Introduction CARLA ZECHER (Center for Reaisance Studies, Newberry Library iw shoul book near studs bento ni ow soul ead? ‘Wha rnd) sold he ode and concn Be oth body of “he ook ass whl nthe lat dae pss ore than mn previo these hme brn qs forbear wis and aed polio {bese drs a ote igh pci forms of ele the evorersof aca boks and eat of tnt ners Erode Sons tnd conchsions ate al sore of teas, pete profesional, Su polis concerns forth novice an he emoned veers ake “i ares thse qstiony the Newbery Library Contr for Reni ance Studies npc two complonety sem, neon oping {none en ening forthe somo esting of he Renience Society oF Ameren (RSA eld in New Yorn Api 208, Th four ees of fred nts foram reper sampling rom he contin ofthe Cen penclt snl wo rode wo partied in the RSA eons ‘Attough many pospecer wee capes o hat oct, by th pan ‘ise aby mbes ofthe sien, one overarching heme lei romped: deone shout how tories neducton sl coming ‘ino cnt can pasos ay ang Seals ‘Te may approach pric book one aya etc, another day 2 estore hid day a clr writer ours, Our reading ‘tie nay be shaped bythe nee teen up uel nrmaion gets through tumors’ senior, bys desdine for rodcig a reve scholarly ound bya guest fr snow theoreti ange that we ight “a PnoFesstON 2005 ‘Wt 1 OPENINGS AND ENDINGS OF SCHOLARIY BO2KS dpe our own work, or even by s desire tose whether our owa writ ing as hal an impact on anoher wets chinking (Am Iced") ‘A it happens, readers of scholarly books donot always read a book can beginning to end. Often they dip i and ot, looking for material tha iotrsecs with heir coment interests and peojcts. They may begin not with the book’ introduction but wih is abl of content its inde, ‘or chapter in the middle. When they do eventually torn tothe intro duction, they my lok less for an overview ofthe subject than o find ‘out more about what's where in the book and tose if the book might indeed be worth reading cover to cover. dell, sone RSA panelist ob- served, the introduction should reasure readers that what's ahead will be of use—or a least worth the rouble. Thinking slong silat lines, nother panels advised chat she introduction should relate organically to ‘thebody ofthe book and be sid ot eoneepsly. We must nt front lata book with an introdaction that is well on way to being a septate ‘hupter or consis of theoretical material vat cam be undercood only after one digests the etie body ofthe hook Gn which case, tought to bbe she hook’ conclusion instead), As the second panels note, this Kind ‘of ancpatory exces threatens o cance the very processes of exposition th embody and persuasively hstricize abstracted arguments On the subject of conclasions, two panelists suggested the possibility ‘of 0 conclusion a all remarking tht in a sense formal contusions are forthose who havent read the book, Sometimes the narrative trajectory ‘of: book logically conctudes in the last chapter. Same books, however ‘don't en so eal. For such a hook, several strategies were proposed. A. cotelasion might reframe the book’ investigation in tems of what thar not covered, suggesting avenues for farther exploration. (This approach, twas noted, works beter in the book's conchasion than in its introdue™ tio, where providing an explanation of why you havent writen» difer- ‘entbook wll probably sound defensive ad serve merely to cal readers tation to whats not cheze rather than whatis) Aleatively one might ‘compose an epilogue that poses questions about the reltion Between then and now or that connects the specialized research ofthe book to broader concerns. A conclusion is often a good place to addres the "so what?” factor: why has it been important fr someone to write this book, and ‘whys icimportant for someone to read Instead of foreclosing what as come before, the books conlusion should waasfigue i. Where fatigued ‘writers, facing deadlines, may be tempted to resort to generalizations, ‘thi could be moment to lok to particulary o enact a conversation ‘betwen the book’ literary protagonists and some other entity, 0 8 t0 ‘entance, rif or extend the book's arguments Asveriets of acdemi ook, we find ourteles ugh beenen the competing sven conicing expectation aly, se ree oral lions Inthe bet crcamstnces bak opig wil be com ling and sightorvard eouph srr «rox! or aay Efconriacnce ands cing wl noe the bok o wick vende tnd and inp then engage rps fart, First Impressions and Last Thoughts: The Importance of Scholarly Introductions MICHAEL SCHOENFELDT Univers of Mihigen, A Arbor Sal in covery fom having ft ised reviewing seventy books ithe Ses Engh itor Reset Sift Engh Kensine’ Tan ll yo that noe erate an vor res who ake tie pelo in he nod to Bok ost incthe bok above Waking his revew as merely mre intense Teron of wha al nr profesconal ve aeike—tyig to manner Sur way through ore marl than we coo ever psn fea even ‘Fre did not chon o hae sie ao oie the potion With the time pear of hs evi nl intertyng che proceso come ina age box every non foud tha ein fe ery hard not Dogin aking upon und about Bok byte eto te intron Tink uch rflging lage ere ven dr nor evel poe Sonal sre nd ht weld decoy aii opin, hed by the inrodctio, a then look for onrmation fi There cersny were Sooke tha be hs oes wa suprised sometimes srs omble inom (oak rt oto re rebate vie Aneran are otc etn). n ania ent rotons wer ‘ncndusos pov eel servis oh the req ree and ote bred render At cr bt and amet thy ere 3 rede forthe sgament to alow. Weer shuld emer hat bo prt th oak wll bend more eget or more cone “Freer to bse Kn of inves One the nro chat tear war ten ie esaes oe erry, br heen eaten nieve ana qalifton (or, wore eared iene) it its adverbs that undermine evn is oldest assertions. ‘The render can ‘sense that che aothor is mapping» county that hs no ye been Fully ‘explore. The other kind of incroduction exhibits frm, clear sense of the elms and payoffs of che argument. Almost certainly writen last is engaged not so much in projecting harvest sin detailing the Fits ‘that have been planed “Truly striking introductions are rere— Stephen Greenbla’ amazing ‘opening seatence to Shakerearon Negtetions: The Circulation of Socal ‘nergy in Renacsnc England offers an exarpl that have never lorgot ten, Italy did mask out no just the terior of che book bun ways that even Greenblatt may not haveanticpited che erajerory ofthe ext fifteen years of his career cuminsg inthe wonderful book oa Hamlet and ideas of purgatory “I began withthe desire toapeak withthe dead” (). This decepevely simple sentence, st onee confessional and profes sonal, encapsulated his deep an alidng engagement with tet rm the carly modern sage. ‘Tam grateful tht we hae few such openings because nothing falls ‘ater than filed aempr wo besiking-1 know beesuse Thare writen sach openings. In mose cases, chan ethers generously blot fiend Ina the good rene to ell me whenit didnot work or realized t mel Tam pleased ro sy that inthe many books [recently reviewed, conesion played a minor role. The confessional moment, at last in early modern odie, has largely passe, “A cruel element ofa good insroducton isthe chapter-by-chapter summary: An introduction should do more, chough, than simply give 9 ‘reader toad map forthe projet should ls arseuate and etionalize the connective tisne ofthe book, s thatthe reader isallowed tse why the chapters emerge i the paricalar order they arom. Uhave always found that being force to justi the larger movements of my argument isa painful bor olsimately salotary experience; indeed, I sometimes was "unable to igure ut ehe proper trenton betwocn chapesrs ul wrote the introduction at Ue very end ofthe compositional process. One tie, wen I could not find the proper conceptual transition no matter how hard pounded the keyboard, redized I needed wo change the order of chapters Once I had done tha, the prope transitions flowed with the eas chat used to be called inspiration, have never beon particularly good at introductions, Buc I do think ‘shat my fervent struggles with this genre give me privileged position fon those moments when they in ‘ace suceed. confess that my most cffecive introductory gestures have come from clementsreeycld fom failed conclasions—as if only afer che manuserit is written da T have ‘the authoriey and kaowledge ecesary to provides proper introduction tomy work Not quite bold emg fora full-fledged conlasion, the ut- ‘erance ie usually confident eneugh to make an effective introduction. To dicot phrase fom T. S. lin in my ends my beginning. ‘also have been struck by that curious animal tat is a collaborative intodecon,Ipartepaed inonly one, the introduction fr acallecton ‘feeuys by aukiple hands ened Imaging Det ie Spenser nd Mion (Bellamy, Cheney, nd Schoenfeld). There was something liberating in the process of collaboration at slowed me to wre with more author- ity than I ypealy would be alle to command withou having writen by myself the rest ofthe book. Ts reading such ealaboratve introductions, ‘moreover, Ihave generally found thatthe process of generating in lecrul and stylistic coerencebrings ou the best in writers One recent example is the splendid insoluction by David Loewenstein and Jane! “Mule for the new Cambri Hisory of Barly Moder ng Litrture (2002). This the kindof masive difase bok tht demands 2 power- ful, cogent introduction, ane che authors were up tothe tsk In this introduction —comuthored wih seamless authorcy-the editors describe ‘boldly and clealy the manifld ways tht this volume differs from the frst Cambridge Hinery of Engh Ltratare aswel a fom more recent compecinrs Isa short introduction and not partislarly ashy, bur with teat economy ites av animmense territory and makes ote want © ead on. Iewould be hard to ke or more. “An iniodverion sone ofthe most importan things we writs, fr more ‘portant than a cnclasion. Some ma jg a book by its cove, bu ar ‘00 many of ws judge ie by its introduction. WORKS CITED ela Elinabeth Jane, Paice Cheney, and Michal Schnee Itoduetion. Tnafaing Det Spar aa Nia, lly, Cheney end Schoen. [New Vn: algal, 2005 1-27 Gerla, Seen aml Poetry rneton: Prncon UB 20 ST nroduton Shkpeares Nei Th Chew f ul Ey in ‘onsnoes Eng, Bey Ut Csr 9881-20. ‘Locman, Dv snl Mle Intron, Phe Cambridge Hi of Early "Nara Engl Lists Loewen ed Mit Cambie: Cog ‘Unt 6 Shon, Michel “Rese Str inthe English Rensnanc” Su Bngib “aa #4000, 189-228, Introductions: An Editor's View HELEN TARTAR Fordbam University rer ill comment her sa user of introductions very specifi sor of wet ‘4 very specific point inthe life ofa manvscrpt, itis actually to be ‘ome a book. I works an “seguiing” cr “ponsoring” editor, and itis my ssroctural task to make the woek of writing nt alone one, to intents ‘noe aceping pervon the hope chat, n the words of Paul Celan, writing ‘se route, i "headed toward. // Towaed what? Towa something opens ‘habzable, an approachable you, pethps, an approachable realty” GS), ‘The poin wil diseussis very concrete momen. in the movement ef ‘seepeancr, inthe work ofthe sponsoring editor as hopeful “meronyanie "presente" aterm T borrow from Barbara Hermntein Sith (103) for ny opening to other renders to come. That moment is the imperative to ncapsolate both the boo’simport—the argument and the ference that ‘amakes—anditsattempe to touch and grasp and reach reader ingulary, tat also as an audience” inte three hundred words allcted for exalog, ‘ops The fs such moment isthe sponsoring eto need to desribe the ‘okt the faculty committe that will wot its acceptance the second i ‘the author’ formal atempe a sucha description inthe marketing ques ‘onsite; the hr and fia such momen isthe catalog copy sell which ‘vals usally che copy that appears onthe jacket or cover af the book [Because the scond ofthese eratione-the authors own proposl of ‘opy-has seldom been written by the ime the elitr has to present the book for acceptance, the editor mst rely on che author's incovluton for the description she submits wo the faculty boar. She usually docs 30 in ‘tuatonastutely represented in a magazine cartoon of evra years ag, hich shows two sophisticated young women siting at leh n midtown ‘Manhattan, One says to the he, “Recently ve bat talking about more ‘ok Thaven ead than since I worked in publishing” ‘When I was in my enry chris living daving the week wih a toon ‘mates unpeasnt that [could leave my bedroom inthe evening non the weekend caught up in my parter’ inexorable slide toward not geting ‘tenure atthe major university where he was eacing—yes I did pride mye se given that I had no choice bu to work abou twelve hour exch day in ‘onder otto be undone by what was going on ard me, om never puting _p for acceptance any book that had ot read more a lass ints entry. ‘From my present, considerably graye eminence, must ait tha, though ‘ach yar sill manage to read tw a these book in thei nie, Loper- ate oman “asi” bas, Because Ihave rai sila ook and coal ea this ‘ook mics entirety represent propery make do with art experience and what indica Ten glean wth reasonable peed. Morrve, Thee arved sta.considerably mre nuanced odin of the mead things tat dig can ‘refer toa proofea; «copyedit the judgmental once-over one ves = missions an oasde reader’ asterent of uly for publcstion and need fr revision); an intense engagement with the aur arguments he ‘reading one usually does a thinking individual, in which one ines wp the text againe ones ovn barrage of thooghs, soe, st elings sing not “What does this author want ws?" but “What resonance might ce might rot his text have wih wha scarey in train forme Ther sto neces ‘sary virtue in simply having un an eye over every wordina book, homerer ‘exp ingrained the supposition tha his wha “reaing a book” ples. Thave come to reeegize that what I need to know about books ot realing of ts every ine (haw happen maiply elsewhere in the publi ing proces) butts import and is anence: es argument, whaecoribution ‘tmakes and to wh: discussion, plus some ast ofthe author ice, ‘Inthe forty or sofracc minutes tha usually ean devote to dftng the ‘edorial hoard packet fora book, usally several day fer Thad intended togettoitand in ke context of lang liso es for which Test nish packer insantly fot sooner, [ely heavily on neocons. Ley to ake ‘rom them verbati»—because lng practice has taught me wo trst a a= ‘thors word shove ry own lest my mistaken chief phrase be the point ‘on which bookiscrticize—the thre -nanded-word econ of what has been acoomplished bere, why iemacters and wha the book rajeory i etme agun be very concrete The introduction to Judith Andersons ‘remarkable study ofthe functioning of metaphor in Tudor and early ‘Stuart culture, Tsing inerment, which was onthe editorial board docket when frst drafted these word, sso exemplary chai gives me Tice space fr eifyngdilogue cold simply copy down forthe packet. ‘wo exelent erated pargraphs from the book ial Til therefore take ty iterloentneaneeho hao the same docket, ‘the philosopher Karmen MacKendric’s besful meitation on the rela ton between body and language, Hrd Made Skin, wih whose ntrodve- ton my words have ben in converstion since my opening references to (Gelan and the idea tha writing can be something lonely. This book is ‘eautflly written, evincing profound joyin the process of writing and 2 sense that the author isa concrete person, soliciting the reponse of ‘other persons, reads. 1 ageee—often pasonatly—with everything in the book's opening pages save the comment chat «wx is edo viewed 1s body. Well, don't speak or write publidy all thet often, but almost ‘very time Ido Take the vente boy splayed theme Deespie my grea pleasure in these pages, however, ad the mthor not helpfully provided an additional chapter summary, T would have been hard pressed to create the texe needed for ficult board presentation, What specially does she add tothe litereture on the body and lan _goage? Where does her argument about dee came out? Her intro tory pages, 28 originally susnitted, dia ell ne “The fis scholarly reader of this manuscript called its author a “ge- ‘ue and asked hat the manuscript be publshed without being sulied by a copyedit. The second scholatly reader, Anne O'Byrne of Hofs- ‘a Universe, was more atemtive wo the needs ofa reader like me. She wrote—and itis such good advice tha T quow—"the advice of novelist fiend of mine mighe be helpful pur everything in the fst page. (Think ‘ofthe prologue to Lali) Rereading the etredction to Wird Made Skin ser having read the manuscripe merely sercred me tothe beginning, ‘he star ofthe unfolding, whereas it could wll be what crystallizes the argument ofthe book whether read fis of lst or both)” Let me re- peat that wonderfal last phrasing: "whereas it ould well be what eys- tallies the argument of the book (whether read frst or lst or both)” 1 haven't been able o find the single-page reference in alia, ba there it |s—the need for eaalog copy, the era to cxch snd refrac the lght of 4 reader's attention. Let me abo underline the temporality in “whether read first or lst or both.” The etion that a choatly book wil be read stsaight through from fist page eo lave ke « muadet mystery isan m= portant formal stractring assumpeion ofits gence. Bu tis that: formal structuring assumption. In real ine, readrt may enter the book at any point—in an entry inthe index, page cation in someone cue’ foot ote, the chapter onthe particular txt on which the reader happens to be writing atthe moment. Bucall readers, t sme pong, may want refer to that moment of che argument’ crystalizaton. And the structuring a- ‘sumption shat the opening pages of the iniodaction will provide. ‘The author very graciously, on receiving this report, acknowledged ‘hit what she writes usally grows out of her engagement withthe writ Jing itself and that she hada gone back to extablich, atthe beginning of the volume and at crucial sigaports, where ievas sh had actually arrived ‘through that writing proces. Tronicly ater Thad dead this pee, daring the inal ound of ata log proofing the Fordham pess directo singed out for special praise my ‘copy for MacKendric’s book. "rom chisaneedote, let me draw two axis for intradutions. [OFGNINS AND ENDINGS SCHOLARLY BOOKS 15 1. -The ist shall be last. the project ia succes, if you have been stgether attentive to your writing, your topic, and all tht they amount ‘o together the result may dif from, be bewe than, what you imagined in the myriad stages when prospectus (promising reruks you couldnt ye preset in thet enirey) was necessary for job review for Funding, Circe back eo your initial impetus forthe project and begin—enkance, reinvigrate—the lifelong task of finding ot jast what iti that you have ssid and how iemay change and exceed your expectations. Remessber that ‘you ate the best medium for any erysalization of the book's conoerns and offer that s how your book speaks to an ther, «reader. 2 Be ceysaline; be concrete. Roth metaphors share a mineral specific= fn. The address yoor book offers rade, the invitation o share and argue svith your readings a they unfold ay be ts greatest it. Thats Bui, ‘enable, opens the readers own alle possbly misguided) constr ‘Bot the cryalization of your argument andthe presentation of concrete ‘erm even ifthe ae only the texts you treat o the theorists you engage, ‘offer your reader an important fothold. woe say “ake oothl! lie "ba isnt just a igure of spacch, cher. suspect my decor (eho is briliant at writing ad copy) may have reacted positively tothe way Twas forced in desrbing MacKendric’ boo, to draw on concrete rns WORKS CITED. —— — Anderson, Judith H Tenn eens Mepor andthe Dy f Caart Changi TS gn. New York: Fordham UP 208 Cla, Ba “Sprch on he Gees of Rssrng he Literetre Pie ofthe Fee “Hansic Cy of Bremen” Caled Pro Tes Roses Warp Rive ntfs: Shep Mend, 986 35-5 sen Rese Wd Ma String anu Serf of lok ‘New York orders UP, 2008, “Smich Barbara Herren Congr of Vas Aeratie Perce for Crit Thor Cabee Harvard UF, 8 Final Thoughts WILLIAM GERMANO ‘New York Unveriy fp ka chy pales res or morta en min on heen of aes che rsp er ce eral tht sdg ot ary ol ey tl ee the pod ado goed ws fei nthe ig ues igen ah Aw ling di mn heeft decning ot mnogra ees ees Taegan ey eget fhe era ita or dy anne ace eet Sn hich prety mache par innate Tent hae squeegee ae se, ‘ps bt longed eon ep sy might ‘et cso ae uy ble Bok we enind uh ‘egies oad ledge yen tore an Rendes we ea cometealin ger fran vgn Antone me fs ‘von, Wha ssl dow nnd wes ioe a Te Na Priel ksi net ean fa ees ee ee Slaow nd the nse nm nee bce teeth ooh toc ina er haa is woo ote thot pone extn dah Berhad ples gearhead ‘ate twit it ew ponte sna aah tn) ‘Wocmnlyelomch Bend Thy fen eae eS Burl we, basa tegy beng As eeie tutor and vert pfeil wre aoe ong thePhDa in of etical wting heme este eng ‘Begin tone eter ow eC wl Ey orca that nds whe ou pal pcs ger eee ren the ec ton boleh ts elo tt and mie" tyad hl ctopers fee ate tere thor teen the mumene sey te aks ngs fin be bog tra sd nos coming aitin Tbe iheeeeeigeenyecen books is that they Enow how to sop writing, al wher. Peshaps nochng an guarante cha the printed schol book will sur ‘ein ts current fom for nother fifty year, br the Beoks that do wil be writen more strongly, more urge, and more sueintly than those that willbe posted onthe unread Wh tes of tomoerow Bua thi sa meeting (of Renaissance scholars, Tilike took backend in a forwanloking wy. Scholars ofthe early modern as Thave retrained mysef to cll the ‘Renaissance wit only ocasionalbakshidng) know that one af the pea sures the period sche extraordinary arity ofits books La sany ‘vay, the early modern rary ean function as lsborstory for exploring the modern book andi organinatal yr. Ms hy lt ‘encourage uso reflect on the questions of what books we write and what eninge we se to give them. we like, we ean get narratslogial and say that the book writer wats stops when the tory itl. Of ifwe are in phenomenological mood: a book. reader reads stop when the book i pt down, whether on page 16 ‘orpage 51. Iesthe bok structure tht ges the reader i keep at. Almost forty years ago, Frank Kermode delivered famous st of etre on the ‘end of things in literary work. One of his faming apothegms, borrowed from Alkmeon via Aristotle s that “men die because they cannot join the beginning and she end”). Tiss ood philosophical rf, befor eons and publishers of scholarly wring, thas ruth more lel than poetic Books and readers depend aa sracture—cadence,cloeute, and the fine network of inal from cover to cover anuring us tha wht sins sin- tentional, authoritative, feng te elosre something ale vale, Schol- {ary books often fal becanse they dont join the begining aad the end. In that vein I suggest that we chink in terms of anew category: the ‘ibliographic-eschatlogical. Ver, the four lat things ofthe aeaderic bookeare the final chapter the notes, he bibliography, and dhe index. A real conclding chapter demonstates thetriel contol ofthe material aswell a high egurd forthe reader’ investment of time, Note de- ‘onstrate thatthe authors ave done thie hemework and found the bast {or fruitful dissgreement with what has gone before. bibliography lets ‘the reader in onthe secret of one's research. And inthe index readers ind ‘the means o navigate through the wotk beyond the cues offered by the ‘contents the sobheads, the running heads, and the pares, Four ways to end a hook, four eodas and each crucial element in both bling the bola alering everything that has preceded But et me settle on one. The inde, car often subcontracted afer- ‘thought, hastily put on lke a scarf by the doo, may be the true endpoint ofa schlasly book. The index is an apparently uniatended display of work's seuctur, linear and nonlinear at once. The index is counter table of contents. Nonacademie readers needn't worry over the complex iterations of index with text (and with reading culture), but over "he ours of book hinory the index emerges nny tings an increas ‘ng sopisiatelorpaniationa print an eon re hancement os peilypblshed documents apron ot ‘ha docament of supplementary wetng vie, aig hear oi ov ethan and pies. Think of Si Thomas Browns Pn ‘Enema, hich asec eon gis an nesta fy now tesa nly wend ok! Or Geere Hert Te ms, ‘hich 56 ein kes on wht een a emai deweoal {sen ning this eat work nto aera bee sisal meus, An iner dnt opie things change the “Tse thingy ne knw hiraly yer endemic aes are srangely resistant preparing indexes themes een tall de teeing siti tne tity als we ato yourwant wate thats cage yo: book ith aprons eral, ang thet pgs, pdeing the cnn may oahing ore the knots sey how you eds nk yas yo stp hin tn ee yc Seon nyu ed the word of pase on aco ip nfl tough ‘he pe looking no or an isc ages ht ine ors en ‘ooten tie with hp ome, Aer tae il be me than 1300 new bck gin hiss an youre ann ne ons ie eveything ee nd ena. Wel Low dh he schol sly fen ent orth bang brit a ade Aa er hs oan evil thing We ce eh der totes an apa, logy a trace packaging Hard owt aan! sl sxe ‘wk ys more compat reponse tan gence bok dh Botan aden wir ita wits nth epee ners oun ‘work on te ng dif youd, your pliers a esl sh os Intremember te inex. We depend onl on yeah he aby ‘iho late the Sing reece othe crane aie We wat shee fp nee eee We 2 ood ines, the coll havea ning ie sop TF Jou anacaizmie you wit oe real once wit goed bak jou ‘aotyourbok te picked psc ne take cc te end? NOTES 1. Keynes repors he speclton that the dicen gues ay hae be Iowa's Neeweh send he Reverend Mc Wheat 65-30. 2 Onlerd Unnry Press aed Kermode Pe Sm of xd with th 0- ‘hore seco ning opphi clement mon a ne, ‘OPESINGS AND ENDINGS OF SCHOLARLY HOOKS 9° WORKS CITED ‘Blinn, *Realing Stree or Coping with Information Over c.550- 00 fora of he History of 64 GUO 128 Kermoe Frank The Soe fom Endng- Sr tbe Thay of iio New Yrs ‘Outord UP, 8a ‘ey Ges Big of Sr Toma Bron 2 sk hare, 168 Rhetoric, Redemption, and Fraud: What We Do When We End Books DAVID M. POSNER Loyola University, Chiage ‘Conclusions ae a best bad idea. They area kind of worst-case compro- ‘mise that allows us Sally to stop writing to persuade oursalves Gf not ‘other thas weve Snsed saving wha there Ws way about ou tpi, ‘dat ast opt the batts in ab and send it off. And this the est that canbe sud. More often, a conclusion isan execs in fraud. This fraud is the necessary product of dhe notion that we ether ean o should attempt wo end a sustained, ook lengch argument with some sort of eon- ‘asian, inal efforeat summation that sways ou audience (suming it tertends beyond sx or seven of our fiend) toward belie in the proposi- ‘ons tat we have advanced. The problem anyone who has aterpted to finish a boak knows is that writing a books more than anything @ proces of discovering what one ought to have writen instead. The eal ‘work of conclusion, then, may be to conceal this uncomfortable fact {rom both auchor and reader, while simultaneously persuading the same suiences that we have infact written the book tht we woud have writ- ‘en had we only been esrned o smart enough. Sosuggests the unknown author ofthe Rbtrce ad Herein, whose famously empy single sentence definition ofthe peroration o eonchson ‘of an oration canbe readin ewo ways The author sy, “Conchsio est !tfcosus orstions terminus" ‘The concuson isthe end of te oration, Alone according tothe rules of we ar? (134). However, the word ari ‘rurcan mean not only “accnrding wo the rues ofthe at” bat also, at thos clewhere in the dd Heremninm, "atc, fctitios, abe” and if ‘we wish to read perversely (and why not), we ean fee he pesence ofthat mening inchs page te Whee ior may ache meta ‘gent thet conclusions sre neces ie or dnhooe, te prsece ofartceeven inthe nea senso aor llogge hat re ‘my be something annarrl, ren oe, seu cones sac evey aieboweer, scar ht we cog terefoe ta of

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