From The New Criterion, a review of Literary Essays and Reviews of the 1920s & 30s and Literary Essays and Reviews of the 1930s & 40s by Edmund Wilson. From TNR, James Wolcott reviews Faint Praise: The Plight of Book Reviewing in America by Gail Pool. From The New Yorker, woke up this morning: Why do we read diaries? Louis Menand wants to know. From NYRB, the wand of the enchanter: Michael Dirda reviews The Journal of Joyce Carol Oates, 1973–1982 and Joyce Carol Oates: Conversations, 1970–2006; The Gravedigger's Daughter and The Museum of Dr. Moses: Tales of Mystery and Suspense by Joyce Carol Oates. From Good Magazine, an article on Anne Trubek on the allure of collecting hypermodern literature. What a carve-up: More and more modern classics are appearing "restored", with the handiwork of editors removed — is it mere meddling or vital to understanding authors' intentions. Alan Taylor on the literary world’s excremental fall into depravity. Creating nonfiction: Why does it seem like the only time undergraduates encounter "literary nonfiction" is in composition courses? What’s wrong with the American essay: A review of The Best American Essays 2007. A look at how to write a book really, really fast: It helps to have a supportive girlfriend.
