Cultural Amnesia: Necessary Memories from History and the Arts » (Reprint)

Clive James, author of the best-selling Cultural Amnesia and of Opal Sunset, writes for the New York Times Book Review and The New Yorker. He lives in London.

"I can't remember when I've learned as much from something I've read—or laughed as much while doing it."—Jacob Weisberg, Slate

The New York Times - Liesl Schillinger

It is irresistible to hijack one of his favorite aphorisms (said by Cocteau of Victor Hugo) and conclude: Clive James was a madman who thought he was Clive James. Still, unlike Hugo, James probably never intended for readers to consume his massive tome front to back; and tucking into the entries on a need-to-know basis can provide rich rewards with no choking risk. Grab a loaf here and there, and feed your mind.