The Artful Dickens

John Mullan is that rare bird, a literary critic you want to read. His vigorous prose style, his generosity and acumen, his freedom from jargon, and the fact that he is an entertainer in his own right, make him the ideal guide to Dickens' genius. This is a marvellous, endlessly illuminating book - pointing even the most knowledgeable Dickensians to scenes they hadn't noticed, sentences they hadn't remembered, tricks and ploys they'd never sufficiently appreciated. It doesn't go on the shelf alongside other critics; it goes on the shelf alongside Dickens -- Howard Jacobson Any new book on Jane Austen raises the urgent question, Would I get more pleasure from reading this than from re-reading my favourite Jane Austen novel? If you decide to give What Matters in Jane Austen a chance you'll know after a few pages that you've made the right choice -- Praise for 'What Matters in Jane Austen?' * Sunday Times * There is plenty to enjoy in this parade of Austen micro-knowledge -- Praise for 'What Matters in Jane Austen?' * Evening Standard * Highly entertaining ... Reveals a quite unexpected aspect to the novelist and her books -- Praise for 'What Matters in Jane Austen?' * Daily Mail *