Snakes' Elbows

"NO CRITIC GETS CLOSER TO THE TEXT... EXHILARATING." -PARUL SEHGAL, THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEWWith The Broken Estate, The Irresponsible Self, and How Fiction Works, James Wood established himself as the leading critic of his generation. The Fun Stuff confirms his preeminence, not only as a discerning judge but also as one of fiction's most ardent appreciators. In these twenty-three sparkling dispatches-which 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 encyclopedic understanding of the literary canon with an equally in-depth analysis of the most important authors writing today, including Cormac McCarthy, Lydia Davis, and Aleksandar Hemon. From the brilliant title essay on Keith Moon and the lost joys of drumming to Wood's incisive piece on the writings of George Orwell, The Fun Stuff is indispensable reading for anyone who cares about contemporary literature. - A Kansas City Star Best Book of the Year - From the author of How Fiction Works