James Sutherland (1)

I generally don’t read in bed, but I like to keep a book on the nightstand for those nights when I make an exception. This was perfect for that purpose. I could read one anecdote, three or four, or several, then turn out the light, sometimes bored, but more often amused and occasionally inspired.
In general, I found the anecdotes about authors I’d read, or at least heard of, more interesting. But there were exceptions. One of the most hilarious tales (#135) involves a Samuel Foote. Never heard of him, but the payoff evoked a belly laugh from me. Like many of my other favorites, it culminates in what used to be called the perfect squelch (does anyone say that anymore?). Perhaps it’s not surprising that many of these highly literate characters displayed their talent not only in long forms such as a novel but also in the tiniest of gems, the bon mot. Supreme among them seems to have been Oscar Wilde, who by all accounts managed to combine mordant wit with unfailing politeness. It seems incredible to me that one could do both, but this trait is multiply-attested.
It didn’t surprise me that there were several Henry James sightings. He seems to have been uniquely queer (in the old sense of the word) even in the literary world. I loved G. K. Chesterton’s attempt to capture James’s approximation of conversation: “gracefully groping; that is, not so much groping in the dark in blindness as groping in the light in bewilderment, through seeing too many avenues and obstacles” (#389).
Some of the best anecdotes collected here stand out not so much for their humor as for the insight into the character of a given author, for instance, the way Charlotte Brontë long hid her identity and how it became revealed to her publisher.
One of the most inspirational tales to me — given that I always feel there are so many books that I haven’t read yet should — appeared early in the anthology. It was the reply Thomas Hobbes gave to a visitor who was surprised to see so few books in his room: “he was wont to say that if he had read as much as other men he should have known no more than other men” (#33).
Nevertheless, on to the next book.… (mehr)

Fantastic series of anecdotes upon anecdotes, especially heavy on the 18th and 19th century...each about a page or two long. Transports you to the gentlemanly world of sublte slights, eccentricities we would consider mild (but more genuine) by today's standards, and the birth of the genius as a personality type. Have your servant order some porter from the local dining club while you dodge your creditors and enjoy this book. I have, several times now. If you're like me, which I'm sure you're not, you will stop reading this when the anecdotes move into the 20th century. A glimpse into the most interesting moments (anecdotes are just encapsulated, interesting moments) of a different universe- which is why books of anecdotes are the best history books in the world. Historical anecdotes 4 life fool!!… (mehr)