PARTY OF TWENTY

by Clifton- Ed. Fadiman ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

Clifton Fadiman presides as contributing host to this Party of Twenty, made up of guest contributors to his ""Party of One"" column in Holiday. His aperitif consists of an ode to the familiar essay in appropriate form, extolling the ""I"" of the author as he holds forth in all his uniqueness despite a world of statistics and automation. Then on to the party. Among the guests: Walter Allen eulogizing the pleasures of illness, Jacques Barzun bemoaning the decline of the detective story, Lucius Beebe decrying the desire to appear ordinary, Joyce Cary pointing to the revelation of novelists in their novels. Richard Condon writes on himself, Robertson Davies on book collecting, Bergen Evans on the state of religion and juvenile delinquency. Romain Gary makes a plea for politesse in ""The Triumph of Rudeness"", William Golding upholds ""Thinking as a Hobby"", Eric Goldman squires ""The Oppressed Emancipated Woman"", Robert Graves waxes gaily expansive ""Talking about Hexes"". F. L. Lucas explores ""The Fascination of Style"", Audrey Menen cuts ""The Myth of English Literature"" to size, Yukio Mishima surprises with his inview of ""The Cherished Myths"" of Japan. Raymond Postgate is persuasive on ""The Latin Classics"", V. S. Pritchett engaging on ""The Personality of Rooms"", James Thurber daft and deft on ""Manglo Saxon"", Jerome Weidman wary in ""The Lure of Reading"". In sum, the gentlemen complement one another admirably, are very pleasant company, and the party is a success.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1963

Categories: NONFICTION