Reviews

'The first of two volumes, The Works of Gilles Deleuze I: 1953-1969 introduces, book by book, the philosopher's daunting corpus, from his early monographs on Hume, Nietzsche, Kant, and Bergson; to the "literary clinic" he creates in relation to Proust and Masoch; and, finally, to the landmark publication of Difference and Repetition (1968) and Logic of Sense (1969). Perhaps no one is better suited to this ambitious undertaking than Jon Roffe. Possessing an encyclopedic knowledge Deleuze's work, he also claims an intimate familiarity with so many of the philosopher's sources, subjects, and conceptual personae. With enviable clarity, Roffe's eight substantial chapters adroitly elaborate the circumstances and argument, problems and concepts all but one of the nine books from this period. Indeed, the uniqueness of this volume consists in forgoing any reductive synthesis of Deleuze in order to elaborate each of his major publications on its own terms. The Works of Gilles Deleuze I is incredibly useful, deeply pedagogical, and structurally ingenious.'-- Gregory Flaxman, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill'I am often asked which book by Deleuze one should read first, and I finally have a response: start with Jon Roffe's book. Roffe is one of Deleuze's best interpreters, and this volume is the result of years of teaching seminars on Deleuze's philosophy. For readers new to Deleuze, Roffe provides concise synopses of each of Deleuze's books, without presuming any prior familiarity with his thought, thereby providing a genuine "readers guide" to Deleuze's often dense texts. Yet those familiar with Deleuze will find scintillating insights on each page, as if they were themselves reading Deleuze for the first time. For readers old and new, Roffe's book is destined to become one of the classic guides to Deleuze's works.'
-- Daniel W. Smith is Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University'There is no better entry to Deleuze than these brilliant accounts of his individual works. Witty, unpretentious, yet rigorous, erudite and illuminating, Roffe's readings make palpable the vital force of Deleuze's thought. A truly remarkable book--compelling, provocative and original.'
-- Ronald Bogue is Professor Emeritus Department of Comparative Literature at the University of Georgia'This is among the very best engagements and openings into Deleuze's notoriously difficult yet profoundly appealing work. Jon Roffe provides a clear entry point for the rabbit-holes of thought Deleuze provides for his readers. Lively, engaged and erudite, this is an impressive yet accessible reading of Deleuze's singular contributions to contemporary philosophy. Roffe provides Deleuze's work with a truly Deleuzian reading.'
-- Elizabeth Grosz is Professor Emerita of Program in Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies at Duke University.