The Slow Philosophy of J. M. Coetzee

In The Slow Philosophy of J.M. Coetzee Jan Wilm analyses Coetzees singular aesthetic style which, he argues, provokes the reader to read his works slowly. The effected slow reading is developed into a method specifically geared to analyzing Coetzees singular oeuvre, and it is shown that his works productively decelerate the reading process only to dynamize the readers reflexion in a way that may be termed philosophical. Drawing on fresh archival material, this is the first study of its kind to explore Coetzees writing process as already slow; as a program of seemingly relentless revision which brings forth his uniquely dense and crystalline style. Through the incorporation of material from drafts and notebooks, this study is also the first to combine an exploration of the writers stylistic choices with a rigorous analysis of the readers responses. The book includes close readings of Coetzee's popular and lesser known work, including Disgrace, Waiting for the Barbarians, Elizabeth Costello, Life and Times of Michael K and Slow Man.