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The Metropolitan Critic
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In 1974 The Metropolitan Critic started a new trend in cultural comment which has since become an orthodoxy. The young Clive James was the first journalist in London to talk about high culture and pop culture in the same all-consuming, sparkling style. Even at that early stage, the learning behind his literary high-wire act was formidable: a portent of the wide-ranging erudition that in subsequent years was to back up his four further volumes of critical prose and the television column that made him famous. An extra delight of this new edition is a set of newly-written self-critical footnotes which combine with a nostalgic introduction to evoke what literary London was like when the author, low on salary but high on hope, was making his spectacular start.
‘This splendid collection of literary essays . . . the opening essay on Edmund Wilson is almost like a preliminary schema by which we are invited to judge the rest of the book. He demonstrates over and over again that he shares, in varying degrees, all the high qualities which he admires so much in Wilson . . . like any first-rate critic, he much prefers praising to blaming . . . Mr James is a very formidable metropolitan indeed’ Philip Toynbee, Observer
‘His escape from the tyranny of Good Plain English – a long twisting run which has brought him to his present position as one of the most highly readable commentators operating in the British Isles’ Sunday Times
Author: Clive James (all their books in stock)
Format: Paperback
Published: 1995
Pages: 296
Publisher: Picador
ISBN: 9780330340205
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Condition Descriptions
Our conditions mean the following:
- New - a brand new book
- Almost New - appears new but is actually secondhand.
- Very Good - only minor imperfections such as minor scuffs to edge or cover or a price written in pencil or shop sticker.
- Standard Secondhand - Clearly been read before, but not too bad. We do not recommend these for gifting. Spines usually creased. Could also include creases or folds to cover, some writing such as in the cover or elsewhere, underlining or highlighting, but might not do. Possibly some stains or marks. Similar in general to books in any secondhand shop or charity shop.
- Poor Condition - Usually this will have a specific problem such as writing inside, water damage, missing dust jacket, heavy staining, large creases or cuts. These are readable copies but not nice ones. On other websites this condition is called 'Acceptable' or 'Fair' , but we want to be more honest.
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