A Very Fine Gift and Other Writings on Theory: Essays and Interviews, Volume 1

Exploring the evolution of Roland Barthes' thought, this collection presents previously untranslated essays, interviews, and critiques, highlighting his journey from structuralism to post-structuralism. Thematically organized into volumes on Theory, Politics, Literary Criticism, Signs and Images, and Interviews, it showcases his innovative approach to cultural criticism and semiology. Barthes' work engages with complex ideas about literature, emotion, and the role of the reader, reflecting his restless intellectual spirit until his untimely death in 1980.