The Gift of Death, Second Edition & Literature in Secret

"TheGiftofDeath，"JacquesDerrida'smostsustainedconsiderationofreligion，exploresquestionsfirstintroducedinhisbook"GivenTime"aboutthelimitsoftherationalandresponsiblethatonereachesingrantingoracceptingdeath，whetherbysacrifice，murder，execution，orsuicide.DerridaanalyzesCzechphilosopherJanPatocka's"HereticalEssaysinthePhilosophyofHistory"anddevelopsandcompareshisideastotheworksofHeidegger，Levinas，andKierkegaard.OneofDerrida'smajorworks，"TheGiftofDeath"resonateswithmuchofhisearlierwriting，andthishighlyanticipatedsecondeditionisgreatlyenhancedbyDavidWills'supdatedtranslation.Thisneweditionalsofeaturesthefirst-everEnglishtranslationofDerrida's"LiteratureinSecret."Init，DerridacontinueshisdiscussionofthesacrificeofIsaac，whichleadstobracingmeditationsonsecrecy，forgiveness，literature，anddemocracy.HealsooffersareadingofKafka's"LettertoHisFather"andusesthestoryofthefloodinGenesisasanembarkationpointforaconsiderationofdivinesovereignty."Animportantcontributiontothecriticalstudyofethicsthatcommendsitselftophilosophers，socialscientists，scholarsofreligion...andthose]madecuriousbythecontroversythatsooftenattendsDerrida."--"Booklist，"onthefirstedition