Who is the greatest living essayist writing in English? Joseph Epstein would surely be at the top of anybody’s list. Epstein is penetrating. He is witty. He has a magic touch with words, that hard to define but immediately recognizable quality called style. Above all, he is impossible to put down.
Joseph Epstein’s Wind Sprints: Shorter Essays is the third volume of essays from Axios Press following the much acclaimed Essays in Biography, 2012 and A Literary Education and Other Essays, 2014. It contains 142 short essays, literary sprints rather than marathons. Subjects range from domestic life to current social trends to an appraisal of “contemporary nuttiness.”
After reading Epstein, we see life with a fresh eye. We also see ourselves a little more clearly. This is what Plutarch intended: life teaching by example, but with a wry smile and such a sure hand that we hardly notice the instruction. It is just pure pleasure.
Review
Epstein (emeritus lecturer of English, Northwestern Univ.), a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Commentary, and the Weekly Standard, is acclaimed for his witty, perceptive, and occasionally contentious essays, which he began during his editorship (1974-97) of American Scholar. These writings have been published in multiple collections (e.g., A Literary Education and Other Essays and Essays in Biography), and in this latest, most of the 143 pieces are harvested from the Weekly Standard (1996-2015). They are essentially apercus-insights or observations on matters personal or familiar. Humorous and conversational, leavened with literary and philosophical quotations, the narratives deplore phone menus, remembering PINs, and infelicitous sentence structure ("It Rings-You Jump," "Numbers on the Brain," "Mr. Epstein Regrets"). The author bemoans the excessive use of buzzwords ("Take a Flying Focus," "Don't Ask, Multitask," "The Issue Issue") and extols his fas hionable attire-hat, sneakers, and bow-tie ("Cool Chapeau, Man," "Foot Fop"). VERDICT In "Literary Tippling," Epstein recounts his need to "tipple"-to have reading material at every occasion, including the bathroom. These entertaining and engaging essays are pithy (most are no longer than two pages), and as the book title itself suggests, amenable to such "tippling." -- Lonnie Weatherby ― Library Journal, March 1, 2016
About the Author
A long-time resident of Chicago, Joseph Epstein has taught English and writing at Northwestern for many years. He is the author of 26 books, many of them collections of essays, and has also written for numerous magazines including the New Yorker, the Atlantic, the Weekly Standard, and Commentary.
Author's previous books:
A Literary Education and Other Essays, 978-1-60419-078-6; Essays in Biography, 978-1-60419-068-7; Gossip: The Untrivial Pursuit, 978-0618721948; The Love Song of A. Jerome Minkoff: And Other Stories, 978-0618721955; Fabulous Small Jews, 978-0618446582; Snobbery: The American Version, 978-0395944172
Description:
Who is the greatest living essayist writing in English? Joseph Epstein would surely be at the top of anybody’s list. Epstein is penetrating. He is witty. He has a magic touch with words, that hard to define but immediately recognizable quality called style. Above all, he is impossible to put down.
Joseph Epstein’s Wind Sprints: Shorter Essays is the third volume of essays from Axios Press following the much acclaimed Essays in Biography, 2012 and A Literary Education and Other Essays, 2014. It contains 142 short essays, literary sprints rather than marathons. Subjects range from domestic life to current social trends to an appraisal of “contemporary nuttiness.”
After reading Epstein, we see life with a fresh eye. We also see ourselves a little more clearly. This is what Plutarch intended: life teaching by example, but with a wry smile and such a sure hand that we hardly notice the instruction. It is just pure pleasure.
Review
Epstein (emeritus lecturer of English, Northwestern Univ.), a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Commentary, and the Weekly Standard, is acclaimed for his witty, perceptive, and occasionally contentious essays, which he began during his editorship (1974-97) of American Scholar. These writings have been published in multiple collections (e.g., A Literary Education and Other Essays and Essays in Biography), and in this latest, most of the 143 pieces are harvested from the Weekly Standard (1996-2015). They are essentially apercus-insights or observations on matters personal or familiar. Humorous and conversational, leavened with literary and philosophical quotations, the narratives deplore phone menus, remembering PINs, and infelicitous sentence structure ("It Rings-You Jump," "Numbers on the Brain," "Mr. Epstein Regrets"). The author bemoans the excessive use of buzzwords ("Take a Flying Focus," "Don't Ask, Multitask," "The Issue Issue") and extols his fas hionable attire-hat, sneakers, and bow-tie ("Cool Chapeau, Man," "Foot Fop"). VERDICT In "Literary Tippling," Epstein recounts his need to "tipple"-to have reading material at every occasion, including the bathroom. These entertaining and engaging essays are pithy (most are no longer than two pages), and as the book title itself suggests, amenable to such "tippling." -- Lonnie Weatherby ― Library Journal, March 1, 2016
About the Author
A long-time resident of Chicago, Joseph Epstein has taught English and writing at Northwestern for many years. He is the author of 26 books, many of them collections of essays, and has also written for numerous magazines including the New Yorker, the Atlantic, the Weekly Standard, and Commentary.
Author's previous books:
A Literary Education and Other Essays, 978-1-60419-078-6; Essays in Biography, 978-1-60419-068-7; Gossip: The Untrivial Pursuit, 978-0618721948; The Love Song of A. Jerome Minkoff: And Other Stories, 978-0618721955; Fabulous Small Jews, 978-0618446582; Snobbery: The American Version, 978-0395944172