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zoes_human's review against another edition
4.0
While ostensibly composed predominantly of literary analysis, the contained essays are of a culturally philosophical nature. It will taking many readings to fully grasp the meanings contained herein, and I will delight in all of them. I equally look forward to using this volume as a companion book to numerous classics as well as certain historical texts.
gdollinger's review against another edition
3.0
I skipped a few chapters. I like my literary criticism watered down with some good non-fiction. He writes of the old world writers.
maebinnig's review
4.0
(I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway.)
I was not familiar with Saul Bellow prior to receiving this book, and I imagine I would have a different take on it were I a fan of his. This seems like a great collection for someone who is interested in Bellow's writing already.
It's hard to know how to rate this. The essays are very well written, and I enjoyed reading them, but there's no theme or sense of congruency from one essay to the next. They're about travel, or books that I haven't read, or interviews, or writing, or history. And again, they're very well written--but it's not the sort of book you sit down and read straight through.
I was not familiar with Saul Bellow prior to receiving this book, and I imagine I would have a different take on it were I a fan of his. This seems like a great collection for someone who is interested in Bellow's writing already.
It's hard to know how to rate this. The essays are very well written, and I enjoyed reading them, but there's no theme or sense of congruency from one essay to the next. They're about travel, or books that I haven't read, or interviews, or writing, or history. And again, they're very well written--but it's not the sort of book you sit down and read straight through.
gagne's review
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
As someone who initially picked this up as the only work by Saul Bellow I've read, the collection felt deeply personal. While most pieces were prepared speeches or lectures, it is easy to tell, particularly with the final two sections: "The Eighties" and "The Nineties and Beyond" how Bellow turned back toward himself in writing, how he began to reflect on his work as a writer, lecturer, and of course, Jewish American writer, son of Russian immigrants, born in Montreal, raised in Chicago. Looking forward to reading other works by him, taking in these essays.
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