Paradigms Lost:
Reflections on Literacy and Its Decline
by John Simon
"Language is a sacred trust: we should nurture it, polish it, encourage it to grow new branches; instead, we kick it around, blunt it, and smash it at the peril of our very souls." ("The Sacred Trust", p. 69)
This is a collection of essays on language by one of the greatest critics of the twentieth century. Few writers can compare with the knowledge of language and the way with words demonstrated in John Simon's trenchant essays. This compendium is a delight for all readers who enjoy virtuosity in the use of language to defend the best writers who pursue the best words.
These essays span such topics as writers, linguists, the performing arts, the media, and more. His comments are biting and to the point; here is an example:
"In the beginning was the word, But by the time the second word was added to it, there was trouble. For with it came syntax, the thing that tripped up so many people. And they're tripping up more than ever today."("Authors Without Fear or Shame", p. 111)
It is an eclectic collection of elegant prose that will leave you wanting to read more criticism from the pen of John Simon.
5 comments:
I think that I would love this. I sometimes agonize over whether I should spend time reading things like this, or the actual literature. Another issue is that I have only read a handful of critics so I should expand my horizons. This book, consisting of essays might be a good fit for me as I can take read the essays individually between other books.
Hi James, I remember how much I enjoyed reading John Simon's film and theater criticism when I was young. Granted he could be biting as you say but art and language mattered to him and in addition he could be very funny. I read Pauline Kael back in the day too and its sad how these two great critics have faded from view and who has come along to take their place?
Hi James, I remember how much I enjoyed reading John Simon's film and theater criticism when I was young. Granted he could be biting as you say but art and language mattered to him and in addition he could be very funny. I read Pauline Kael back in the day too and its sad how these two great critics have faded from view and who has come along to take their place?
Brian,
This collection is worth reading for Simon's literary style as much as for the content.
Kathy,
Thanks for your comment. I enjoyed Kael as well as Simon.
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