Life Sentences: Literary Essays

by Joseph Epstein

Essays representing a lifetime's reading discuss Montaigne, Cavafy, Fitzgerald, Solzhenitsyn, and fifteen other authors

Genres: Essays, Literary Criticism

347 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Joseph Epstein is the author of, among other books, Snobbery, Friendship, and Fabulous Small Jews. He has been editor of American Scholar and has written for the New Yorker, the Atlantic, Commentary, Town and Country, and other magazines.

Reviews

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joseph Epstein writes essays about better and lesser known celebrities of the literary world. Who has heard of C.P. Cavafy or Lady Mary? With mordant wit, a flawless vocabulary and a keen interest in his subjects, he rampages through the writings and behaviours of his chosen individuals. The outcome is either an interest in knowing more about the individual in question or a firm conviction that one has done well to steer clear for all times.

Great for reflection.

[Oliver Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Droll and generous.

[Stephanie]

I thoroughly enjoyed, but I'm not sure how many non-English majors would. It's just essays of literary criticism.

[James Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Epstein's fourth collection of literary essays and the first that I have read. Included are essays on Conrad, Musil, Montaigne, Dos Passos, Bierce, Larkin and others. Epstein's style is conversational and at the same time edifying. It is also very personal as he is unafraid to air his own opinions about the authors and works that he reviews. The result, however unexpectedly and puzzlingly lenient or harsh, at least shows that literature is worth arguing over. The resulting prose is pure pleasure to read and I find every time I pick up the book I am impressed with it for that reason. Worth reading, rereading, or just dipping into from time to time.