"Patrick McCarthy, an expert on the culture of Western Europe, looks at the history of the twentieth century by wedding together literary and political events and texts, and examines the ways in which they interact and influence each other. Refreshingly free of jargon, this book interweaves literary, aesthetic, mass media, and political and historical themes. In Language, Politics, and Writing, Patrick McCarthy provides readers with an intellectual commentary on the persistent cultural traditions in European nations, highlighting the fact that these traditions have been enriched by the "dialogue" of regional integration. Patrick McCarthy highlights particular points in the political history of Western Europe and analyzes a writer or work from the same period to illustrate compelling connections between literature and politics."-- book jacketT.