In this provocative and timely book, John Docker takes his readers on an intellectual adventure. The journey includes an introductory guided tour of the history of modernism, consideration of the development of postmodernism, explanation of the difference between structuralism and poststructuralism and discussion of the debates and conflicts around each. Along the way readers will visit the architecture of Le Corbusier, take a ride on the Sydney monorail, watch Prisoner (Cell Block H) on TV, come into contact with Derrida, read some crime fiction and enter into the world of carnival. The book engages, in a stimulating and illuminating way, with some of the most important academic debates of our time. It combines polemical force with intellectual rigour, reclaiming popular culture from the forces opposed to it. John Docker's personal style and accessible prose will introduce postmodernism to many interested general readers and students intimidated by other dense, theoretical tracts. The breadth and intelligence of his cultural history will make the book essential reading for scholars, in a range of disciplines, around the world.

约翰·多克尔（John Docker），澳大利亚著名的文学和文化批评家、公共知识分子，现任悉尼大学教授。近作还包括1492：The Poetics of Diaspora（2001）和Is History Fiction（2005）。