Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book appeared in 1983, towards the end of Walker Percy’s writing career. The only other book he would publish prior to his death in 1990 would be The Thanatos Syndrome, which appeared in 1987. Some readers view both books as something of a downhill slide in Percy’s modest authorship. Indeed the earlier five novels and collection of essays do exhibit powers that shine, arguably, more brightly than these last two. And yet, I would argue that both Lost in the Cosmos and Thanatos exhibit powers of their own that mark an interesting and maybe even courageous change in Percy’s strategy at the tail end of his authorship.
K101: Lost in the Cosmos, Week 1, Lecture 1.01
May 2, 2007 by at 9:05 pm
Godsbody is late as usual, but happy to be here.