This title is a dazzling lit-crit from the acknowledged master of eclectic verve. It contains favourite and new Birkerts essays in one spectacular volume, showcasing the writing that has garnered the approval of some of the literary world’s most luminous names. Sven Birkerts is the most well-known literary critic writer in the United States and one of the best respected in the world. Favoured by readers and authors alike, his vivacious brand of criticism has earned him the respect of the literati’s heaviest hitters. Here is Birkerts in top form, discussing authors ranging from Elizabeth Bishop to Don DeLillo and topics such as biography and the enigma of poetic inspiration. A brilliant cultural commentator, Birkerts also offers important insights into contemporary nostalgia, the modern sense of time and the future of the creative spirit.