Green Modernism Nature and the English Novel, 1900 to 1930

"In Green Modernism, McCarthy offers various ethical models for the dialogic and equalizing relationship of humans and nature, from a fundamental recognition of nature's active and independent presence (object-oriented ontology), to a responsible and responsive working of the land, to the 'sustained intimacy' with the land he calls 'dwelling.' [...] The project of turning modernism's gaze from the psyche and the city to the land is a valuable expansion of traditional criticism."
– Mara Scanlon, English Literature in Transition, Vol. 60 (2), 2017

"Both Ecocriticism and Modernism studies take a refreshing and timely great leap forward in Green Modernism's deft discussion of one emergent and three canonical writers. This is a landmark book in our understanding of the relationship between nature and text through the prism of the English novel 1900-1930, but also with implications beyond."
– Terry Gifford, Visiting Professor, Centre for Writing and Environment, Bath Spa University, UK

• "Green Modernism makes a significant contribution to Modernist studies. Rather than being a literary movement focused merely on the inner self, McCarthy makes a strong case for the role of materialism in Modernist literature. In addition, McCarthy convincingly argues for an anti-Romantic, materialist conception of nature that alters the landscape of both Modernist and Ecocritical studies. Consequently, natural images such as the ivory in The Heart of Darkness or the snow in Under Western Eyes function not just as symbolic entities but as material objects that allow us to view these works in a new light."

– John G. Peters, University Distinguished Research Professor of English, University of North Texas, USA