Whatever you say about Jonathan Franzen (and there's plenty to say, no small amount of it critical), you can't deny the man his insight. He's a fine writer, as this collection of republished essays proves; though they all originate in the 90s and very early 2000s, few come across as dated; the topics Franzen addresses... Continue Reading →
Before I picked this up, I knew nothing about who James Wood is; having now finished it, I can tell with absolute certainty, he is one of contemporary criticism's most gifted and steadfast voices, a lover of literature through and through. How Fiction Works is among the finest examples of that particular branch of non-fiction... Continue Reading →
Over the last ten months, I've began to look to Rachel Cusk's work with a reverence bordering on religious fervour. Her Outline trilogy* is revelatory, and does what few novels ever manage - it updates character, changes the narrator's role to little more than a lens to look through. Further, it sacrifices that central individuality... Continue Reading →
I don't remember how I came across Ecstasy and Terror but I knew when I read its blurb that I would love it. Having read every one of the essays in this collection, I've found myself not only loving it but hungry for more of Mendelsohn's writing. This anthology by Mendelsohn(who is Editor at Large... Continue Reading →
