The essays in “On Life-Writing” are mainly divided between those devoted to biographical and autobiographical writing. The quality of the essays varies wildly. Some are impressively rich, notably those of James Shapiro on Shakespeare, Hermione Lee on the meetings of famous writers, and Galen Strawson on whether lives may be said ever to have a coherent story or narrative. (He suggests there is no carpet in which to find a figure, leaving all of us in the condition of shag rugs.) Other essays in the book are covered with that magical dust only academic writers possess, which allows them to render unreadable even the most splendid of subjects.
Monday, January 04, 2016
Patterns of living …
… The Art of Biography - WSJ. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)
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