First published 2016
Cynthia Ozick tackles a provocative question: can novels survive without serious criticism? She argues that critics and novelists depend on each other to create a thriving literary culture. Without thoughtful critics, books become mere commodities. Without fresh fiction, critics have nothing meaningful to analyze. Ozick supports her case through detailed examinations of major writers spanning decades. She analyzes Saul Bellow, Bernard Malamud, and Kafka alongside contemporary voices like William Gass and Martin Amis. The collection organizes these studies under bold headings that reflect different types of literary figures. Ozick demonstrates her own critical methods while making her larger argument about literature's future. She shows how great criticism builds connections across literary history and creates communities of readers. The book confronts challenges facing literature in the digital era, offering readers a framework for understanding why serious literary criticism matters.
Genres: essays, literary-criticism, literary-fiction, criticism, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, literary-analysis
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
229 pages · Kindle Edition · Mariner Books