The Fun Stuff and Other Essays

James Wood

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English

Arrow
01 April 2014

Literature, Poetry & Criticism; Literary essays; Literary studies: from c 1900 -; Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers

A passionate and effusive outlook on the contemporary literary landscape, from one of its most accomplished critics and appraisers.

Following The Broken Estate, The Irresponsible Self, and How Fiction Works - books that established James Wood as the leading critic of his generation - The Fun Stuff confirms Wood's pre-eminence, not only as a discerning judge but also as an appreciator of the contemporary novel.

In twenty-three passionate, sparkling dispatches - that range over such crucial writers as Thomas Hardy, Leo Tolstoy, and Edmund Wilson - Wood offers a panoramic look at the modern novel. He effortlessly connects his encyclopaedic, eloquent understanding of the literary canon with an equally in-depth analysis of the most important authors writing today, including Cormac McCarthy, Kazuo Ishiguro, and V.S. Naipaul.

Included in The Fun Stuff are the title essay on Keith Moon and the lost joys of drumming - which was a finalist for last year's National Magazine Awards - as well as Wood's essay on George Orwell, which Christopher Hitchens selected for the Best American Essays 2010. The Fun Stuff is indispensable reading for anyone who cares about contemporary literature.

By: James Wood
Imprint: Arrow
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm, Spine: 22mm
Weight: 252g
ISBN: 9780099575757
ISBN 10: 0099575752
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 01 April 2014
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

James Wood is a staff writer at The New Yorker and a visiting lecturer at Harvard. In addition to How Fiction Works, he is the author of two essay collections, The Broken Estate and The Irresponsible Self, and a novel, The Book Against God.

Reviews for The Fun Stuff and Other Essays

This is a masterclass in the art of reading. -- Robert Murphy Metro Wood is the most engaging of current commentators on literature. -- John Sutherland Spectator Impressive breadth of reading (especially contemporary East Europeans here) and perceptively close attention to texts. -- Peter Kemp Sunday Times It is a pleasure to follow his education and learn something in turn. Economist The gift of the great critic is to be able to explain complex concepts to the reader in a manner that is neither bamboozling nor patronising... Wood has this gift. -- Andrew Anthony Observer