The Argonauts | |
Author: | Maggie Nelson |
Country: | United States |
Genre: | Autotheory |
Publisher: | Graywolf Press |
Release Date: | 2015 |
Media Type: | |
Pages: | 160 |
Isbn: | 1555977073 |
The Argonauts is a book by poet and critic Maggie Nelson, published in 2015. It mixes philosophical theory with memoir.[1] The book discusses her romantic relationship with the transgender artist Harry Dodge leading to her pregnancy as well as topics ranging from the death of a parent, transgender embodiment, academia, familial relationships, and the limitations of language.[2] Nelson also explores and criticizes ideas from several philosophers including Gilles Deleuze, Judith Butler and Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick.[3] The title is a reference to Roland Barthes' idea that to love someone is similar to an Argonaut who constantly replaces parts of their ship without the ship changing names.[4] The book won a National Book Critics Circle Award for criticism for books published in 2015.[5]