The Irresponsible Self by James Wood
A compilation of brilliant articles written by one of the best and most divisive literary critics in the world. There is no living literary critic who writes as skillfully as James Wood, and this is a universal fact. All challengers to the title are dwarfed by his metaphorical accuracy, moral rigour, high standards of literary greatness, and humanistic compassion. To identify comparable peers, one would need to look to Lionel Trilling, Edmund Wilson, and Alfred Kazin; nonetheless, I believe he outshines all of them, with the possible exception of Trilling. Thankfully, we are not limited to reading just one author in order to gain insight and engage in a thoughtful examination of the depth and foibles of literature. But he once again proves why his work is still essential in this, his most recent collection of articles.
The Irresponsible Self by James Wood
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Analyzing a joke is the best way to end it. False, especially if one of the greatest critics working now is doing the analysis. James Wood studies literary humour and explains why we enjoy funny characters and what exactly makes us laugh in the first place. James Wood rarely expresses his thoughts, no matter how well-informed and sophisticated they are. Salman Rushdie, Tom Wolfe, and J.M. Coetzee are among the writers on whom he unleashes his scorching pen. He makes you wonder where your allegiances as a reader are while you nod in agreement. Overall, James Wood is a wonderful friend who encourages readers to reflect on what they read.
There is no living literary critic who writes as skillfully as James Wood, and this is a universal fact. All challengers to the title are dwarfed by his metaphorical accuracy, moral rigour, high standards of literary greatness, and humanistic compassion. To identify comparable peers, one would need to look to Lionel Trilling, Edmund Wilson, and Alfred Kazin; nonetheless, I believe he outshines all of them, with the possible exception of Trilling. Thankfully, we are not limited to reading just one author in order to gain insight and engage in a thoughtful examination of the depth and foibles of literature. But he once again proves why his work is still essential in this, his most recent collection of articles.
