Distributed for Seagull Books
The Rabbit Between Us
One morning as they parted, Victor Menza’s daughter handed him a bunny postcard. This gift made him wonder why rabbits had been their symbol of visitation: “How did this kind of creature become such a powerful way of feeling your presence?”
Through philosophy, history, education, art, and personal musing on everyday uncanny experiences, Menza reveals why people have long found rabbits our special kin and emblems of love. Menza considers human nature and how we are undone by separation—both from each other and from our childhood selves. Surprising allies in these non-traditional philosophical wanderings include Ludwig Wittgenstein, Elizabeth Bowen, Albert Murray, Beatrix Potter, Donald Winnicott, Sterling Stuckey, and Lev Vygotsky.
Menza examines what symbols are and how they work, the value of dialect, and the subversive lesson of animal fables, alongside his thoughts on language learning, memory, and slavery. Only now did he see that he’d taken to Brer Rabbit early on. Just as the Uncle Remus tales displayed the small hero’s virtues in warm dialogues, The Rabbit Between Us shows we abound in talents and moves when we “lean like Socrates did to the Aesop in us.” Gentle and political at once, this unique book will appeal to any intellectually curious reader.
Through philosophy, history, education, art, and personal musing on everyday uncanny experiences, Menza reveals why people have long found rabbits our special kin and emblems of love. Menza considers human nature and how we are undone by separation—both from each other and from our childhood selves. Surprising allies in these non-traditional philosophical wanderings include Ludwig Wittgenstein, Elizabeth Bowen, Albert Murray, Beatrix Potter, Donald Winnicott, Sterling Stuckey, and Lev Vygotsky.
Menza examines what symbols are and how they work, the value of dialect, and the subversive lesson of animal fables, alongside his thoughts on language learning, memory, and slavery. Only now did he see that he’d taken to Brer Rabbit early on. Just as the Uncle Remus tales displayed the small hero’s virtues in warm dialogues, The Rabbit Between Us shows we abound in talents and moves when we “lean like Socrates did to the Aesop in us.” Gentle and political at once, this unique book will appeal to any intellectually curious reader.
172 pages | 5 halftones | 6 x 9 | © 2020
Literature and Literary Criticism: General Criticism and Critical Theory, Humor
Philosophy: General Philosophy
Reviews
Table of Contents
1. Psychic Bolt-Holes
2. Visitation
3. I Never Saw Harvey
4. What Is a Symbol
5. Down the Philosophical Rabbit-Hole; or, “GAVAGAI!”
6. The Rabbit Evangels: Joel Chandler Harris and Beatrix Potter
7. Obliterature
8. How Children Get Cheated Out of Their Humanity
9. The Rabbit between Us Came from Slavery
10. Aubade with Brer Rabbit
11. The Rabbit Dances
2. Visitation
3. I Never Saw Harvey
4. What Is a Symbol
5. Down the Philosophical Rabbit-Hole; or, “GAVAGAI!”
6. The Rabbit Evangels: Joel Chandler Harris and Beatrix Potter
7. Obliterature
8. How Children Get Cheated Out of Their Humanity
9. The Rabbit between Us Came from Slavery
10. Aubade with Brer Rabbit
11. The Rabbit Dances
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