'Franzen's words crackle with wit humour and wisdom' Shortlist 'Franzen is arguably America's greatest living novelist ... In this anthology of magazine assignments, social criticism and cobweb-clearing travel journalism, he writes continually about writing and reading, luxuriating in language and sticking up for literature for literature's sake. It's a mostly thrilling journey ...Franzen's meditations on literature form the meat of this collection ...Though seemingly preoccupied with writing and literature, his essays travel many subjects and moods.' Paul Clements, Daily Telegraph. 'In a book that is never less than superbly intelligent...Franzen's wit and loving kindness comes as abrupt surprises as if a glossy, paunchy bishop has suddenly started to play hopscotch.' Richard Davernport-Hines, The Spectator

Jonathan Franzen was born in 1959 and graduated from Swarthmore College. He has lived in Boston, Spain, New York, Colorado Springs and Philadelphia. His other novels are 'The Twenty-Seventh City', 'Strong Motion', 'The Corrections' and 'Freedom'. He is also the author of 'How To Be Alone', a collection of non-fiction, and 'The Discomfort Zone', a memoir. His fiction and non-fiction appear frequently in the 'New Yorker' and 'Harper's', and he was named one of the best American novelists under forty by 'Granta' and the 'New Yorker'. He lives in New York City.