Authority and Freedom: A Defense of the Arts

The Art's Relevance by Jed Perl is a thought-provoking manifesto that reaffirms the independence of all arts and their unique power to inspire, disturb, and excite us.

Perl argues that the arts have their own laws and logic, transcending political ideologies.

This book will resonate with readers from college classrooms to foundation board meetings, as it tackles the current debates about political correctness and cancel culture.

Perl embraces a wide range of creative spirits, from Mozart to Aretha Franklin, and defends their works as adventurous dialogues that free us from fixed definitions and categories.

The fundamental sense of vocation in the arts gives artists their purpose and focus, and it's the interplay between authority and freedom that fuels the imaginative experience.

This book is essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of the arts in a democratic society.