More Alive and Less Lonely: On Books and Writers

by Jonathan Lethem, Christopher Boucher (Editor)

From the award-winning author of  Motherless Brooklyn  and  The Ecstasy of Influence  comes a new collection of essays that celebrates a life spent in books

More Alive and Less Lonely collects over a decade of Jonathan Lethem’s finest writing on writing, with new and previously unpublished material, impassioned appreciations of forgotten writers and overlooked books, razor-sharp critical essays, and personal accounts of his most extraordinary literary encounters and discoveries. 
 
Only Lethem, with his love of cult favorites and the canon alike, can write with equal insight into classic writers like Charles Dickens and Herman Melville, modern masters like Lorrie Moore and Thomas Pynchon, graphic novelist Chester Brown, and science fiction outlier Philip K. Dick.
                                                                                                                
Sharing his infectious love for books of all kinds, More Alive and Less Lonely is a bracing voyage of literary discovery and an essential addition to every booklover’s shelf.

Genres: Essays, Nonfiction, Books About Books, Writing, Literature, Literary Criticism, Reference

336 pages, Paperback

Published May 29, 2018

About the author

Jonathan Allen Lethem (born February 19, 1964) is an American novelist, essayist and short story writer.

His first novel, Gun, with Occasional Music, a genre work that mixed elements of science fiction and detective fiction, was published in 1994. It was followed by three more science fiction novels. In 1999, Lethem published Motherless Brooklyn, a National Book Critics Circle Award-winning novel that achieved mainstream success. In 2003, he published The Fortress of Solitude, which became a New York Times Best Seller.

In 2005, he received a MacArthur Fellowship

Reviews

[Mattia Ravasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can think of few people who love books as passionately as Jonathan Lethem - and this collection is a great testimony of a lifetime dedicated to the cause of fiction.

[M. Sarki · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://msarki.tumblr.com/post/157198...

Jonathan Lethem generally provides enough essays in any given collection that are certainly eye-opening and have the tendency to teach us something we did not know. Throughout his writing career he has proven to be adept at this exercise. And in More Alive and Less Lonely this is again the case. However, and for the most part, what actually interests Lethem in this book bores me to death. But when I eventually trudged my way to his essays and reviews on Thomas Berger I was immediately struck with how fortunate I was to have continued reading. And then I happened on the Bob Dylan piece which again made me grateful for not quitting on him. Lethem does that to me. He can win me over in no small measure. With still another 15% of the book to read I found myself sampling kindle editions of Berger’s work and then ordering whole copies to add to my queue to read. And for those moments I was excited again by literature, which is a feeling I get that most agrees with me. Life, in general, is not that way. Often there is much too much reality to deal with. Truth is, I love a good escape. And on this very day I cannot thank Lethem enough for providing me with additional exits from which to choose from.

[Sini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het is fijn om een fan te zijn. Of, zoals Jonathan Lethem zegt: "We derive the word 'fan' from 'fanatic', yet to make ourselves fans of the right things, and to do so with unashamed abandon, can be an exalted mode of being. Fannish feeling, like laughter or tears, is one of those things that make us human". Van dat soort credo's krijg ik een goed humeur, omdat zij enthousiasme prediken en tonen tegelijk. En nog vrolijker werd ik van Lethems gebundelde stukken, die allemaal vol vuur van de fan zijn geschreven. Met als aanstekelijke titel "More alive an less lonely". Deze bundel was een verjaarscadeau van mijn echtgenote: zij dacht dat ik, als fanatieke boekenfan, wel zou houden van het vuur van dit boek. Nou, reken maar dat ze daarin gelijk had!

Het boek bundelt allerlei recensies, persoonlijke stukken en anekdotische verhalen die Lethem eerder in diverse media publiceerde. Hij schrijft daarin over een hele reut bekende schrijvers (Kafka, Philip K. Dick, Ishiguro, Pynchon, Knausgard, David Foster Wallace), minder bekende schrijvers (Thomas Berger), over zijn puur persoonlijke passie voor bepaalde volkomen onbekende jeugdboeken, over science fiction, over films, over Dylan, Batman........ Kortom, over een enorme variëteit aan auteurs, kunstenaars en onderwerpen. Analytisch zijn die stukken bepaald niet: hij gaat bijvoorbeeld niet diep graven naar de diepere gronden bij Dylan of de dieper liggende motieven bij Kafka. Maar alle stukken zijn wel enorm enthousiasmerend. Bovendien kan Lethem in een paar zinnen echt onnavolgbaar de kern raken van een auteur. Bij schrijvers die ik al kende wist ik ineens nog beter waarom ik hun fan ben, en bij schrijvers die ik niet kende kreeg ik sterke neigingen om dat alsnog te worden. Over Knausgard schrijft hij bijvoorbeeld: "His subject is nothing less than the beauty and terror of the fact that all life coexists with itself". Oké, er is meer over Knausgard te zeggen dan alleen dit, en oké, sommige lezers vinden het misschien jammer dat Lethem dit statement niet wat meer toelicht. Maar de zin staat als een huis, en doet de Knausgard-fan in mij breed grijnzen. Zoals ook de Pynchon- fan in mij breed moet grijnzen van zinnen als "But wait. I'm acting as if we all know what it is to read Pynchon. In fact none of us do, for figuring out what it is like to read Pynchon is what it is like to read Pynchon". Want als verwoede Pynchon-lezer heb ik PRECIES deze ervaring bij het lezen van Pynchon. Alleen wist ik dat nog niet, totdat ik Lethems mooie stuk las.

Je kunt films, literatuur en cultuur om allerlei redenen belangrijk vinden: omdat het inzicht biedt, schoonheid oproept, je wereld verruimt, je empathie vergroot..... Maar erg essentieel is volgens mij steeds plezier, overgave, ongeremde vreugde. Je vergeet dat soms helemaal als je recensies leest, door de serieuze en droge toon van die stukken. Maar door Lethem krijg je weer een enorme shot leesplezier en fandom. Daarom werd ik door deze bundel steeds vrolijker en vrolijker en vrolijker.

[Story · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another tedious anthology of writing referencing exclusively male authors. There's nothing wrong with male authors but Letham needs to expand his circle of reading or at the very least title his book accurately: On Books by Male Authors.

[N · Rating 5 out of 5]

This witty and sometimes pretentious collection of essays and witticisms demonstrate that Jonathan Lethem is such a lover of all things fiction, non fiction, and film- that his brain is definitely all over the place, but with a passion and love for anything creative; and perhaps open in the realm of possibilities. I really enjoyed his essays on Philip Roth, Kazuo Ishiguro and Malcolm Braly- and Mr. Lethem is great at getting you to pick up a book or two.

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a big disappointment. I had not read any Lethem before trying this collection of essays. I was expecting a meditative collection of essays on writers and books. Instead, it was just a New York Mishmash of articles and set pieces sold as essays. Nothing impressive here. Save your money.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is what it is. I was not super familiar with this author before coming into the collection of essays/book intros/critiques, but was curious about what authors he might mention. A good portion of the references were pretty obscure or just fiction from before the 2000s so if you’re looking for contemporary criticisms maybe skip this one. Overall not bad and piqued my curiosity about a few authors here and there, but unless you’re a real fan of literary criticism, I’d say stick with Lethem’s fiction.

[Brad Wojak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Lethem, and I love him most when he is writing about books. This is an awesome collection and it is filled with new books to hunt down and devour.

[Tony Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lethem's tone in this collection of reviews and literary criticism reminds me of debating books and music with your smartest, funniest friend who will still love you after it's over! Such fun!

[Beverly Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a MUST for any writer's reference shelf.

good advice, superb examples, and entertaining to boot.

[Sara Cutaia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two decades worth of critical essays, reviews, and anthology pieces make up this collection from Jonathan Lethem. He's no stranger to writing, having published 10 novels previously, and countless other articles and projects. I am blown away by Lethem's critical insights and his range of knowledge from Kafka to Roth to Wallace. He writes in a way that is undeniably true, even if it's an opinion piece. This is going to be one of those books that is a staple for any book lover.

[Brent Woo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jonathan Lethem. The only writer I know who can use words like 'japery' and 'insouciance' next to 'Batman'. This is just a collection mostly of introductions he's written to other books, which maybe sounds dry, but collected together it turns out to be a powerful reflection of his relationships to, well, books (and writers). This collection does a better job of that than essays explicitly reflecting on writing because of that unintentionality, this accidental collection. I can't imagine as he wrote each of these he intended to portray his views and methods in a certain light, yet collected together they all accidentally show the same person: someone who revels in the joy of all books, a rigorous interrogator, fearless speculator, unafraid to be wrong, backed with a boundless love for sci-fi and litfic alike. So as I was reading this I got not only a great number of additions to my To Be Read list, but also a better picture of Lethem as a reader, a window into the inimitable way he experiences books. The books he introduces range from typical litfic stars like Ishiguro, McElroy, Knausgaard, Roth, and Pynchon; to that weird time period of American (?) fiction I have seemed to avoid completely that dads seem to like, like Malamud, Cheever, and Fuchs; to whatever Phillip K Dick can be classified as.

Lethem is somehow always an uplifting writer. Even in his most gritty hopeless noirs, there's always some comedy lurking, some inspiration or bright-eyed curiosity about humanity humming in the background. This comes through in these introductions, where he's radiant, but not sentimental:

The characters in these pieces are musicians and fans, sometimes also disc jockeys or producers or family members, but above all the characters in these stories are the writers themselves: chasing leads, pitching angles, making lists, constructing impossible gossamer theories, sprawled wrecked in depression on their couches, envying their heroes, arguing with their friends, changing stations, listening, listening, always listening. Faking it. We're all faking it, even Greil Marcus. Thank God, too. It's literally the best, and most human, thing we can do.

Here we get flashes of him as an author, where he states strongly his view on covers:

Though I ordinarily hate illustrational approaches to my writing, and have fought like a cornered terrier repeatedly to get art directors from major publishers to revert to jacket designs that consist purely of metaphorical or abstract imagery, or of font...

And how, starting out, he had misconceptions about how to break into "the scene":

Perhaps I fantasized that by contacting a figure in "the literary world" I'd discover the hidden entrance to that world, so I might pass through myself. Yet Tom's "literary world" seemed to consist of rereading Frank Norris's McTeague, working his way through Kafka in the original German and watching Laird Cregar Movies; I still remember my astonishment when he replied to my mention of Don DeLillo by saying he'd never heard the name.

As I was reading, I'd hoped he'd contemporaneously step in and add some meta-commentary on the introductions themselves—and he does! A few times there are "footnotes", which he wrote in response to his own introductions. The Ishiguro one is great, where he honestly denounces what he said before and isn't afraid to say he was wrong or changed his mind. Partway through, I also thought it'd be nice if they included introductions to things that weren't novels or anthologies—and they do! Near the end you get some of the best pieces, his introduction to a pizza directory (New York of course) and a cookbook.

[Heather Scott Partington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lethem is literature’s ultimate fanboy, something he celebrates in this assemblage of reviews, literary introductions and bird walks from the last 20 years or so. In it, we observe Lethem’s signature esoteric fascination with books, records, even slices of pizza. He is a champion of unknown authors, yet also claims luminaries like Kafka for himself. The collection offers a comprehensive view of his evolution as a critic — from the “erratic booklust” of his teens to the distinct intellectualism and genial crankiness of his current work...

Read more at The New York Times Book Review.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rarely pass on a Lethem book. Even though i feel i’ve come up short on some of his stories, there’s always some great insight that i find, some are small gems, nuggets, or Mother Lodes. This is a varied collection of musings on books, writers, writing, movies, culture, and reading from Lethem. Some essays or review like articles were easy in, others required a little knowledge of the material, being an avid reader, movie watcher, and culturally aware individual, that helped, but its a rare bookworm that can widely span across so many known and lesser known books. So maybe i knew a third to half of the writers or works referenced make this a mostly enjoyable and relatable read. As for the other half or so, this was a little overwhelming for me in a few areas, and it makes me want to add to my read list.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lethem is a very talented novelist but he is also a skilled essayist. More than anything he is a literary enthusiast who has read lots of interesting books. I read most of this collection while sitting on a beach and flying in an airplane. The majority of the articles are quite short and can be read like literary potato chips but i think I would have appreciated the book more if i had spread reading the essays.
Lethem is really good on a lot of good writers, especially the inimitable Thomas Berger but he has a lot of insight and passion for Phillip Roth, Thomas Pynchon and Phillip K Dick. Lethem made me want to read Robert Musil, more Kauzo Ishiguro and Charles Dickens. If you like to read than you will like to skim these essays for hot tips and intelligent analysis.

[Erik Wyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine collection of previous (with the exception of a few) essays and forewords Lethem has written as critic-at-large. It's rare to encounter a successful and often inventive novelist who proves equally adept as cultural critic. Lethem doesn't shy away from his literary influences, the artists and subsequent works that helped to shape his own unique artistic vision. More Alive and Less Lonely is at once polished, conversational/casual, as well as candid in its passions, a delight for the true bibliophile.

[False · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of essays and cultural criticism by a noted New York Times critic. The essays I enjoyed the most were actually written in the late 1990's and had to do with books on film noir, character actors (which I ordered to read), music critics in their heyday and in an essay called "The Loneliest Book I Ever Read," a loving memoir of a rare children's book from his own life, "The Happy Valley," by Eric Berne (Games People Play) and illustrated by Sylvie Selig. I'll be checking out her art online.

[Jacqueline Masumian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jonathan Lethem is touted as "one of our most perceptive cultural critics," but, truthfully, the literature and culture he is a critic of hold are outside my realm of understanding.. In this book he writes about intensely literary fiction, and I've never heard of most of the titles and have no interest in them, so I had to abandon this book pretty quickly. It might be enjoyable to those familiar with authors such as Anna Kavan, Will Self, Joseph McElroy, etc, etc., but not me. Plus I resented the misleading title.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

"I developed my passion for novels while working in used bookstores. I've spent my life since that time being baffled at how difficult it is to get a conversation started about noncanonical writing that's more than a few years old."

True in general but also true for this particular work. While this book is not entirely successful in its attempt to start that conversation, it at least leaves you mulling over just which books you'd be willing to go to bat for in a similar way.

[Viewpoints Radio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonathan Lethem is the award-winning author of “Motherless Brooklyn” and other novels. His latest book is an inside look at his thoughts on literature. He talks to us about the importance reading, what inspires him, and how he feels about tough critics. Listen here: https://viewpointsradio.wordpress.com...

[Bryce Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like if we met at a party Johnathan Lethem and I would not enjoy one another's company. The Venn diagrams of our reading have minimal overlap and when they do, our readings seem divergent enough to cause annoyance.

But then he goes and writes the most brilliant essay on Dickens I've read outside of Chesterton, or something of equivalent insight, sooooooo..... Whatareyagonnado?

[Lissa00 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy Lethem’s fiction but usually find his essays and literary criticism dull. In full disclosure, though, I did end up skimming a few of these. I received a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't really like books like this--an author's collected essays over time, taken out of context--but I did enjoy The Counter-Roth, What's Old Is New (about his love of NYRB Classics, which I also love), and Footnote.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

For better or worse I pretty much love whatever Lethem does it perhaps goes back to meeting him at the Free library with Lydia Davis anyway this is a good book read it he also has another book coming out in the fall I believe it is called The Feral Detective so read Jonathan Lethem I'm for Lethem

[Christian Hamaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Further evidence that I prefer Lethem’s nonfiction writing to his fiction, although I continue to read everything by him that I can lay my hands on. As others have noted, these entries are prompts to load up one’s library queue with several of the titles/volumes covered.

[Sugar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend! The perfect book to read between books. I was pleasantly surprised as I did not know quite what to expect, especially since the book was a gift!

[Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't usually read introductions to books, so a book comprised only introductions was strange. Lethem has a lot of interests (an "amuse" bouche). I added some choice selections to my reading list.

[Zoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

5/10. Excited to add another 10+ books to my to-read list, but I felt cheated since it was just a collection of earlier intros/forwards for other authors.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

the Malcovich "interview", Pynchon, and Lorrie Moore review were huge standouts. the rest were kinda average.

[Ömer Oral · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unreadably boring, immensely bad, disgustingly crap.