Media Reviews
A collection of beautifully thought-out, piquant essays, some only a few pages, that survey what [James] has been reading with the clock ticking. The results are entirely free of self-pity, and emanate vitality and invention ... James relishes the limited reading time he has and makes no bones about it, providing sparkling commentary on his old favorites and new discoveries. -Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly A box of bonbons for devoted readers -Booklist Booklist 'With James, one hopes fervently that the finale is only just beginning.'-Evening Standard. Evening Standard 'The author delivers a sign-off of substance... The unadulterated love of literature proves infectious and a little humbling.'-James Kidd, the Independent. -- James Kidd The Independent 'The literary judgements in Latest Readings are as a sound as ever... [James's] credo: 'The critic should write to say not 'look how much I've read' but 'look at this, it's wonderful'. I submit: reader, look at this book, it's wonderful.'-Philip Collins, the Times. -- Philip Collins The Times This book possesses an undercurrent of brave, unsentimental reflection; the author is intermittently philosophical and, in the face of death, funny. -Thomas Swick, Weekly Standard -- Thomas Swick Weekly Standard [James] suggests that a critic 'should write to say, not 'look how much I've read,' but 'look at this, it's wonderful.' ' I can think of no better advice to give for James's new book, as well as Manning's Balkan Trilogy. Look at these, they're wonderful. -Robert Gray, Shelf Awareness -- Robert Gray Shelf Awareness For the literature-obsessed, this slim volume is a delectable gift, a reminder of why one reads at all, especially when the mortal countdown timer is ticking loudly. And it proves that James is the rare literary critic who can speak deeply to a general audience, with a sense of humor and levity that suggests that high art can indeed be for everyone. -NPR Books NPR Books If there is such a thing as a reader of genius, then Clive James is it. The pieces in Latest Readings are small, but small in the way that a Patek Philippe watch is-in other words, gleaming and intricately assembled miniatures. -John Banville, New York Review of Books -- John Banville New York Review of Books Pick up Latest Readings. It's wonderful. -Michael Dirda, Washington Post -- Michael Dirda Washington Post For a book written near to death, with 'the clock ticking', there's nothing depressing about this. It's as light-hearted and enthusiastic as the best of his work; every passage a palpable pleasure and every essay full of provocative observations. -Hans Rollman, Popmatters -- Hans Rollman Popmatters The only complaint that people who consider serious reading to be essential to their lives can have with this book, is that it is over too soon. Latest Readings is an economical summing up of a long literary life. A life that James's readers will hope contains more years, more writing, and much more reading. -Larry Thornberry, American Spectator -- Larry Thornberry American Spectator James is a critic inimitably and undeniably himself. Every sentence echoes with the confidence and calm of decades of thoughtful, attentive reading. -Maggie Galehouse, Houston Chronicle -- Maggie Galehouse Houston Chronicle 'His qualities are his capacious intelligence, sardonic voice and fondness for wordplay and paradox...James has approached the time of his vanishing with grace and good humour, not sentimentality or anger. These essays and poems are death-haunted but radiant with the felt experience of what it means to be alive, even when mortally sick, especially when mortally sick'-Jason Cowley, Financial Times -- Jason Cowley Financial Times The courageous James is keeping his vitality and critical eye intact as his existential clock winds down. James writes in an endearingly personal voice about recommitting himself to stocking his ever-growing home library, and how the joy he takes in reading and collecting books hasn't diminished, unlike his physical state. Each of Latest Reading's slim, brisk essays feels like sitting with a genial old friend as he recites from and comments on the pile of books he keeps close at hand. -ArtsFuse ArtsFuse [James's] splendid survival since against the odds has had the paradoxical effect of reacquainting readers on both sides of the Atlantic with just how great a figure he has been and how much we stand to lose at the end of the kindnesses of fate and modern medicine. -Buffalo News Buffalo News For those who prefer something more literary, this year's collection of Clive James's essays on a variety of literary topics, Latest Readings, is an eye-opener. Mr. James is terminally ill. This is sanity, humor and acuity in the face of death. -Mary Beard, Wall Street Journal -- Mary Beard Wall Street Journal Latest Readings is a plain demonstration that Mr. James remains as learned and as funny as any critic on earth. -Dwight Garner, New York Times -- Dwight Garner New York Times
FREE UK DELIVERY 
Global shipping from £2.99
FREE UK DELIVERY
30 Day Refund Guarantee
