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Swift's Polite Conversation
This rare and vintage book is a perfect addition to any bibliophile's collection
Hardcover
Published January 1, 1963
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April 10, 2022
I have read "Polite Conversation" maybe twenty times, and it seems to get better each time. The first time, I wondered what it was all about: it seemed to be no more than a slightly boring dialogue containing a vast collection of sayings and proverbs. Which of course it is. But there's so much more to it than that. Someone said that it is the nearest we shall ever come to the real conversation of the early C18. And the characters are fascinating, each one with his or her typical style of speech. The conversation is trite, terribly so: and it's meant to be - Swift is poking fun at these upper-class twits (although I have fallen madly in love with "Miss" certainly the most engaging character in the piece). Read it. Put it away. And then read it again; and again, and it will give you increasing pleasure.
Displaying 1 of 1 review