How To Talk About Books You Haven't Read

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Description

In this mischievous and provocative book, a bestseller in France, Pierre Bayard contends that in this age of infinite publication, the truly cultivated person is not the one who has read a book, but the one who understands the book's place in our culture. Drawing on examples from works by Graham Greene, Oscar Wilde and many others, he examines the many kinds of 'non-reading' (forgotten books, unknown books, books we've skimmed briefly) and the potentially nightmarish situations in which we are called upon to discuss our reading with others. This book challenges us to consider what reading means, how we absorb books as part of ourselves, and how and why we spend so much time talking about what we have, or haven't, read.

Reviews

'A foxy French bestseller, this theoretical jeu d'esprit - is the perfect gift for dinner-party pseuds' Daily Telegraph 'Rich, meaty and immensely enjoyable' Sunday Times 'Brilliant stuff' The Times 'A witty and painfully accurate analysis of the ways in which we get acquainted with literature and the part it can play in our lives' Independent 'A guide to maintaining a healthy, guilt-free relationship with books. I found it liberating' New Statesman

Author Bio

Pierre Bayard is a professor of French literature at the University of Paris VIII and a psychoanalyst. He is the author of Who Killed Roger Ackroyd and many other books. Jeffrey Mehlman is a professor French at Boston University and the author of a number of books, including Emigre New York. He has translated works by Derrida, Lacan, Blanchot and others.