Dickens’ shortest novel is very taut, and occasionally some sharp little passage arrives that reminds you of his more expansive greatness.
Books
Counting Down Dickens’ Greatest Novels. Number 9: Dombey and Son
When the death scene in Dombey and Son was published, all of England was apparently prostrated by grief.
Counting Down Dickens’ Greatest Novels. Number 10: Oliver Twist
“Please sir, I want some more”
Oliver Twist was Dickens’ second novel, and my first. My grandmother read it to me and my sister when we were young. We loved the part when meek little orphan Oliver, born out of wedlock in …
Why to Read Dickens Now (Or Watch Him on TV)
Starting tomorrow, Jan. 27, we will blog his ten best novels. Why don’t you follow along with us?
I Was a Teenage Samuel Beckett: Or, My Literary Biography Problem
(Lev Grossman writes about books here on Wednesdays. Subscribe to his RSS feed.)
I got my first whiff of what big-time adult literature was all about when I was in 8th grade. I got it from Mark Linn-Baker. You know — the guy …
The Nonsense of an Ending: In Defense of the Middles of Books
(Lev Grossman writes about books here on Wednesdays. Subscribe to his RSS feed.)
My plan for a books column this week was to write about the endings of novels. I swear to God it was – I can show you the notes. But my friend …
Galley Girl: Bill Clinton Has a Healthy Appetite for Diet Books
Publishing reporter Andrea Sachs writes about the book industry here every weekend.
It was a mournful day for late-night comedians in 2010 when Bill Clinton told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that he had become a strict vegetarian. The …
The Top 10 Moments in Reading in 2011
(Lev Grossman writes about books here every Wednesday. Subscribe to his RSS feed.)
Over in some other post on this site, we all listed our favorite Cultural Moments from 2011. That struck me as such a good idea that I thought …
Tintin 101: What You Need to Know Before You See the Movie
(Lev Grossman writes about books here every Wednesday. Subscribe to his RSS feed.)
Me, I don’t remember a time before Tintin. I grew up on him — those big floppy paperback editions you could practically get lost in. As a …
Happy Star Wars Day: Revisiting a Galaxy Very Very Close
What if the world of Star Wars collided with ours? Photographer Cédric Delsaux explores the possibilities in his new book, Dark Lens.
Galley Girl: Eric Weiner’s ‘Ikea God’ and a Pack of Publishing Old-Timers
Publishing reporter Andrea Sachs writes about the book industry here every weekend.
Growing up, Eric Weiner was hardly a soldier in the army of the Lord. He describes his family as “gastronomical Jews” (think bagels, lox
…
My Five Things: Al Roker
Everybody needs a side gig, even the weatherman. A co-anchor on NBC’s The Today Show, Al Roker is also a novelist. He has co-written, with Dick Lochte, three murder mysteries starring chef/sleuth Billy Blessing: The Morning Show …
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Top 10 Literary Sidekicks
The new Sherlock Holmes movie features Jude Law as an action-star Watson. TIME takes a look at nine of literatures other great comrades.