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A 'non' that became a yes: David Shields' Reality Hunger and the punk germ in the new literary nonfiction Strahan, L 2016, 'A 'non' that became a yes: David Shields' Reality Hunger and the punk germ in the new literary nonfiction', Punk and Post-Punk, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 281-293. Document type: Journal Article Collection: Journal Articles Title A 'non' that became a yes: David Shields' Reality Hunger and the punk germ in the new literary nonfiction Author(s) Strahan, L Year 2016 Journal name Punk and Post-Punk Volume number 5 Issue number 3 Start page 281 End page 293 Total pages 13 Publisher Intellect Abstract In his literary manifesto Reality Hunger, David Shields (2010, p. 5) refers to an emerging movement of 'reality-based art' whose characteristics include "a deliberate unartiness, 'raw' material, seemingly unprocessed, unfiltered, uncensored, and unprofessional ... Randomness, openness to accident and serendipity, spontaneity; artistic risk, emotional urgency and intensity". This grab-bag of anti-art processes and aesthetics is part of an "as-yet-unstated" (ibid) contemporary literary mood urgently needed, Shields argues, to refresh the moribund star-machine that is literary culture. In its 'hunger' for something more 'real' in literature, Shields' manifesto speaks clearly to punk sensibilities without ever saying 'punk'. This paper will trace the unstated affinity between Reality Hunger and punk processes, aesthetics, and attitude, and in the process uncover an angry punk germ in the burgeoning movement of contemporary nonfiction writing to which Reality Hunger speaks directly. In doing so, it will contribute new strand of inquiry to the question of how we understand and define punk literature, opening these questions onto the territory of literary nonfiction. Subject Creative Writing (incl. Playwriting) Performing Arts and Creative Writing not elsewhere classified Keyword(s) punk literature creative non-fiction manifesto experimental writing negation Copyright notice © 2016 Intellect Ltd ISSN 2044-1983 Related Links Link Description https://doi.org/10.1386/punk.5.3.281_1 Link to Published Version   Versions Version Filter Type Mon, 04 Dec 2017, 11:03:07 EST Filtered Full Access Statistics: 17 Abstract Views  -  Detailed Statistics Created: Mon, 04 Dec 2017, 10:30:00 EST by Catalyst Administrator