From Library Journal
When writers comment on other writers, they offerAin addition to insightAjealousy, misunderstanding, pettiness, betrayal, petulance, malicious gossip, struggle, and, occasionally, altruism. At its best, however, such commentary makes for fascinating reading. French, a British biographer, critic, and novelist, has compiled an excellent collection of just such reading. French's readers will discover that Alexander Pope (writing to Jonathan Swift) said that he avoided other writers unless by some chance he could find a modest one. Samuel Johnson considered James Boswell slovenly but also a man of great intellect and humor. Ivan Turgenev wrote that Nikoli Gogol's teeth were bad, his chin small, and his gestures unprofessional. George Sand declared that, although lovable, Gustave Flaubert was tiring and obstreperous. G.K. Chesterton wrote that Henry James had "the rather oppressive delicacy of a highly cultured family butler." T.S. Eliot thought Katherine Mansfield dangerous and vulgar. This is fascinating readingAand also a bit sobering. Recommended for public and academic libraries.ARobert Kelly, Fort Wayne Community Schs., IN Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
An anthology of writers' thoughts about other writers, from Ben Jonson on William Shakespeare to Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes on each other. John Updike believes it to be one of the less-elevated impulses. Norman Mailer views it as an inevitable conflict. Wallace Stevens saw it as one of the greatest aspects of literature. There occurs a unique frisson when great writers meet, and when one-or both-of them records the event, the results are unpredictable. This collection includes Philip Roth dashing the hopes of a dying Bernard Malamud; Virginia Woolf glimpsing D. H. Lawrence on an Italian railway platform from a passing train; William Hazlitt on Samuel Coleridge; T. S. Eliot on James Joyce; Evelyn Waugh on Graham Greene; Arthur Miller on Saul Bellow; James Baldwin on Richard Wright; and Martin Amis on Nicholson Baker. W. H. Auden once noted that writers have no small talk when they meet; based on the evidence here, these meetings more often lead to fireworks. This anthology reveals to us moments of rivalry, jealousy, hatred, bitterness, and revenge-dotted with occasional interludes of admiration, magnanimity, and affection, all in the voices of the writers themselves. Index Sean French is a British biographer, critic, and novelist. He lives in London, England.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

There is a special frisson when great writers meet, and when one - or both - of them records the event, the result is rarely straightforward. As W. H. Auden observed, writers have no small talk when they meet; as evidenced here, this frequently leads to fireworks. An anthology of rivalry, jealousy, hatred, bitterness and revenge, dotted with occasional moments of admiration, magnanimity and affection.

SYNOPSIS

John Updike believes it to be one of the less-elevated impulses. Norman Mailer views it as an inevitable conflict. Wallace Stevens saw it as one of the greatest aspects of literature. There occurs a unique frisson when great writers meet, and when one—or both—of them records the event, the results are unpredictable.

This collection includes Philip Roth dashing the hopes of a dying Bernard Malamud; Virginia Woolf glimpsing D. H. Lawrence on an Italian railway platform from a passing train; William Hazlitt on Samuel Coleridge; T. S. Eliot on James Joyce; Evelyn Waugh on Graham Greene; Arthur Miller on Saul Bellow; James Baldwin on Richard Wright; and Martin Amis on Nicholson Baker. W. H. Auden once noted that writers have no small talk when they meet; based on the evidence here, these meetings more often lead to fireworks. This anthology reveals to us moments of rivalry, jealousy, hatred, bitterness, and revenge—dotted with occasional interludes of admiration, magnanimity, and affection, all in the voices of the writers themselves.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

When writers comment on other writers, they offer--in addition to insight--jealousy, misunderstanding, pettiness, betrayal, petulance, malicious gossip, struggle, and, occasionally, altruism. At its best, however, such commentary makes for fascinating reading. French, a British biographer, critic, and novelist, has compiled an excellent collection of just such reading. French's readers will discover that Alexander Pope (writing to Jonathan Swift) said that he avoided other writers unless by some chance he could find a modest one. Samuel Johnson considered James Boswell slovenly but also a man of great intellect and humor. Ivan Turgenev wrote that Nikoli Gogol's teeth were bad, his chin small, and his gestures unprofessional. George Sand declared that, although lovable, Gustave Flaubert was tiring and obstreperous. G.K. Chesterton wrote that Henry James had "the rather oppressive delicacy of a highly cultured family butler." T.S. Eliot thought Katherine Mansfield dangerous and vulgar. This is fascinating reading--and also a bit sobering. Recommended for public and academic libraries.--Robert Kelly, Fort Wayne Community Schs., IN Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

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