While I've always enjoyed the work of the Haverford College educated Nicholson Baker, I've never had a complete grasp for his reputation among critics. I'd be interested to hear how people feel about his early novels, particularly The Mezzanine, which I found unusually witty.
NPR on Baker
His short story "Playing Trombone", pulished in The Atlantic in the 80's is the best, funniest fiction I've seen about life playing in a symphony orchestra.
ReplyDeleteHa - thanks for that, Christopher. I plan to get a copy of it! --Jesse
ReplyDeleteI remember reading - and being floored by - a story in The New Yorker before I had ever heard of Baker. It was called "Pants on Fire" and was, I believe, incorporated as a chapter into Mezzanine in slightly altered form. He was a master of the minutiae of everyday life in those days.
ReplyDeleteWell, you can skip Human Smoke - though, of course, it's nonfiction.
ReplyDeleteHi Guys,
ReplyDeleteNice to see familiar names here! If you're interested in Nick Baker you may be interested in our interview with him, last spring.
http://www.haverford.edu/news/stories/5971/51
Regards,
Chris Mills
Chris: This is great. Thanks! -Jesse
ReplyDelete