Gatekeepers: The Emergence of World Literature & the 1960s

“Along with its more traditional scholarly virtues, Gatekeepers is delightfully readable, not least for the sheer human interest that Marling discovers in the blow-by-blow stories of how four highly significant postwar writers achieved international standing.” MARK MCGURL

“Marling offers a major advance in the theory of literary fields. An aspiring writer attracts supportive networks by displaying an abundance of emotional energy, confidence, enthusiasm…” RANDALL COLLINS

“Accessibly written and impeccably research, Gatekeepers successfully establishes the centrality of cultural intermediaries and social networks in determining the canon of contemporary world literature.” LOREN GLASS

“Marling draws together a compelling account of the different gatekeepers involved in the success of four major authors who form his case studies. At the same time, his work stresses the crucial role of translation in the business of World Literature and traces the increasing professionalization of the world of the literary translator. JEREMY MUNDAY