Ambitious, complex, and subtly argued…The commentary is rich, broad reaching, and significant. (CHOICE) Violence and Naming offers multiple paths to account for and rethink the intersections of literature, philosophy, and politics…The book is an insightful and provocative cluster of explorations and analyses that summons readers to evaluate, participate, and produce their own critical perspectives. (MLN) [Violence and Naming is] a truly valuable monograph. Johnson's application of fiction as an active philosophy is impressive and illuminating. The book's bringing into dialogue of lives shattered by violence with longstanding cultural narratives and contemporary, global socio-politics is daring and necessary. (Bulletin of Spanish Studies) Violence and Naming offers a panoramic account of language and violence in Mexico...Violence and Naming is remarkable for its theoretical depth and clarity of exposition. It is a challenging read, but will prove highly rewarding to readers who are familiar with Mexican culture, with Derrida and deconstruction, or with both. (Chasqui)