The Rush for Second Place: Essays and Occasional Writings
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Book Overview
An essential collection of nonfiction essays by the National Book Award winning author of J R and A Frolic of His Own William Gaddis published only four novels during his lifetime, but with those works he earned himself a reputation as one of America's greatest novelists. Less well known is Gaddis's body of excellent critical writings. Here is a wide range of his original essays, some published for the first time. From "'Stop Player. Joke No. 4, '" Gaddis's first national publication and the basis for his projected history of the player piano, to the title essay about missed opportunities in America during the past fifty years, to "Old Foes with New Faces," an examination of the relationship between the writer and the problem of religion-this diverse collection displays the power of an autonomous literary intelligence in an age increasingly dominated by political and religious conservatism.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0142002380
ISBN13:9780142002384
Release Date:October 2002
Publisher:Penguin Publishing Group
Length:208 Pages
Weight:0.40 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 5.0" x 7.8"
Age Range:18 years and up
Grade Range:Postsecondary and higher
Customer Reviews
1 rating
Finally, the Collected Uncollected Works...
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
It's good finally to see William Gaddis's "ocassional" writings collected into one volume. For years, the only thing available was the super-rare and thus ridiculously expensive pirate edition, "The Uncollected Works of William Gaddis" published by the so-called Black Moon Press, whoever and wherever they were or weren't. While that underground classic might have had the drop on this legit book, "The Rush For Second Place" is more complete and up to date. Good stuff!
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