Ronald B. Shwartz

Much too hard to skim. Wading through all the "I reread Proust every few years, ever since I was 8" and the *L*iterary incestuousness is hard because the titles are in a typeface that fades behind the text on the page.

I did get a few bits to mark, finally. One of my odd childhood favorites, [a:Robert Benchley|21049|Robert Benchley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1276734925p2/21049.jpg], got a nod, as did [a:James Thurber|16839|James show more Thurber|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1183238729p2/16839.jpg]of course. Lots of the contributing authors mentioned the Bible, Dickens, Moby Dick, 'the Russians'... and lots loved Tom Wolfe ... but at least several had the good sense to mention Huckleberry Finn.

But new-to-me is [a:Max Beerbohm|18985|Max Beerbohm|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1326871990p2/18985.jpg], a happier satirist than Twain, iiuc the contributing writer correctly. [b:And Even Now|519231|And Even Now|Max Beerbohm|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347432548l/519231._SY75_.jpg|748005] is the work that has one more serious piece in that collection of essays.

And I got the idea to read Bartlett's as a lead to more new-to-me authors. And a reminder to read [b:Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do|59649|Working People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do|Studs Terkel|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388210645l/59649._SY75_.jpg|826265], the size of which intimidated me when everyone else was reading it. And to revel again in [b:The Importance of Being Earnest|24949945|The Importance of Being Earnest|Oscar Wilde|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1522220520l/24949945._SY75_.jpg|649216]. And to read more of [a:George Bernard Shaw|5217|George Bernard Shaw|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1271683549p2/5217.jpg], especially the preface to [b:Androcles and the Lion|51059426|Androcles and the Lion|George Bernard Shaw|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1562219668l/51059426._SX50_SY75_.jpg|1218646].

Heavily skimmed June 2023. Note to self - avoid getting entangled in any more books like this; they always disappoint and/or frustrate. show less

I have read snippets of this book over the past two years, and I think I've gotten through all of it now. The design of the book allows for the reader to dip in and read one of the included authors' views on their own favorite books. Some of the entries are very interesting, some read like half-hearted responses without much to them. Shwartz does a fine job of selecting a diverse set of very accomplished authors in this collection. Overall, this book was enjoyable at times, but it is hard to show more rate it above two stars. It simply did not challenge or change my thinking, and I think a book needs to do that to warrant three stars. show less

When you love books, like I do, one of the things we book lovers seem to love is to read about what books other books lovers love to read. Browsable fun.

File next to Michael Olmert, The Smithsonian Book of Books