A Reference that Entertains as Readily as It Informs
This book, The New Oxford Book of Literary Anecdotes, is a temptress.
I am tempted to simply spew back trivia and humor about the literary denizens that populate its pages rather
than give you a solid review. I am tempted to read it clear through rather than use it as a reference. Its
entries tempt (and inspire!) me to write an essay, a rant, even this review!
I have a poetry mentor, Suzanne Lummis, who appreciates all things "witty." She will love this book. Edited
by critic John Gross, this book is a veritable assembly of wit from Chaucer to J. K. Rowling. I liked that it
moved along in time, more or less in a direct line. That enabled me to place the cleverness in context with its
time, both in terms of the culture at large and the literary peers of the person being oh, so ably,
tattled upon.
Gross also manages to include much that is new (to me at least) rather than refrying the same old Churchill
stories however appropriate they might be for a volume like this. He also manages to combine the
nearly-straight reporting style of a journalist but, in the tradition of the writer that he is, also make the
tart entries entertaining.
This book is a bit pricey at $29.95 (those of you who know me, know my own writing propounds frugality as an
asset essential for starving authors). Because I see how essential this book is for writers, I strongly
recommend it anyway. I also suggest you check out Amazon.com, using the link above, where it is discounted
by 37% and also available used at a little less than that.