As of This Writing: The Essential Essays, 1968-2002

by Clive James

"Clive James is in the tradition of Hazlitt, Bagehot, and Edmund Wilson, with a gusto to succeed theirs."―John Bayley It is impossible not to be awed by the remarkable range and massive erudition of Clive James, one of the greatest literary critics of our age. In the tradition of Edmund Wilson, James is a brilliant stylist so perceptive (and funny) that he renders the twisted literary terrain of the twentieth century remarkably accessible. In As of This Writing James has assembled his most ambitious and expansive collection to date, a book that features forty-nine essays on poetry, film, culture, and fiction written between 1967 and 2001. Whether commenting on poets like Auden or Jarrell, novelists like D. H. Lawrence and James Agee (not to mention Judith Krantz), or filmmakers like Fellini or Bogdanovich, James delights his readers with his manic energy and critical aplomb. This volume is a literary education that few recent books can rival.

Genres: Essays, Nonfiction, Books About Books

640 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2003

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

An expatriate Australian broadcast personality and author of cultural criticism, memoir, fiction, travelogue and poetry. Translator of Dante.

Reviews

[Jonfaith · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are times when we feel the pinch of life, when the elements operate against our comfort. Having worked twelve hours yesterday and facing daylight savings I awoke and decided that Clive James could tell me about poetry. Sundays are special here. We are a tribe of two.

My wife noted my sighs of appreciation and the times when I giggle. James is amazing when considering Lowell or Auden. He is a capacious critic, but one who maintains focus. He is dismissive of those lacking such discipline. Yeah, he didn’t care for Sontag or Kenner. The ruminations on Fellini and Pasolini are remarkable. James tries to keep an exile's distance in his appraisal of Australian poetry and I felt all the richer because of such. He is a sumptuous critic.
James pointed me in several directions and such has been the day’s dividend.

[Paul]

extremely informative - this guy knows a TON of stuff, and writes very clearly, intelligently, and enjoyably about them all. I learned a lot and found the points of view stimulating and thought-provoking. His pieces on Mark Twain are some of the best I've read anywhere. Really an astounding range and depth of insight.

[Jeremy Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very handsome collection
This is a compilation of some of the highlights from Clive James's critical writings which was assembled for the US market in 2003. I've already read all these articles in their original collections, so it was only for reasons of com…

Originally reviewed 27 January 2011

[Richard Epstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always thought that James's verse -- esp. those dreadful long satirical/light verse poems -- were a waste of my time. And his. But he is* a wonderful literary critic. Most critics choose either to amuse or to instruct, and the ones who choose the latter are woefully clumsy at the former. James can do both at the same time. It's not just that the pill is gilded or sugared: the coating itself is nutritious.

*I am sorry that the tense of this verb will have to be changed soon. It will be quite a loss.

[Pete Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intelligent, important writing from one of the finest minds of our era.

[Curt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wicked, erudite, thoughtful and hilarious.