The Telescope in the Parlor: Essays on Life and Literature: Essays on Life & Literature - Softcover

McConkey, James

Softcover

ISBN 10: 158988020X ISBN 13: 9781589880207

Publisher: Paul Dry Books, Inc, 2004

Synopsis

In this collection of essays, James McConkey--novelist, professor, and memoirist--writes about the authors and experiences that have meant the most to him in his life. On literature, he explains why he loves the books he loves and why he responds to the work of A. R. Ammons, Anton Chekhov, and E. M. Forster. A series of autobiographical essays poignantly recalls the events of courting and family life that remain as present to McConkey's inner vision as the day they took place. With a deep sense of appreciation, McConkey not only gives due recognition and favorable judgment to the books, people, and events he writes about, but also expresses his gratitude to them for the way they enriched his life.Praise for James McConkey: "McConkey makes of his own life...a thoughtful, powerful and vivid work of art."--Annie Dillard "James McConkey speaks to the reader with poignant force, illuminating ordinary life . . . There is no voice like his alive today."--May Sarton "The genre in which McConkey does his best writing has no name. He invented it . . . . What McConkey does is to create meaning out of ordinary life . . . he'll create what is not exactly a story but a pattern in time . . . His books should be famous."--Noel Perrin, "USA Today"

About this title

Review:

"McConkey speaks to the reader with poignant force, illuminating ordinary life. There is no voice like his alive today." --May Sarton, author, "Journal of Solitude

Praise for James McConkey and "The Telescope in the Parlor"

"Elegant and deeply personal, McConkey's essays reveal a seasoned mind and a soulful spirit.""Publishers Weekly"

"Like his colleagues Forster and Chekhov, James McConkey combines a sharp eye, a nimble mind and a bottomless generosity. In "The Telescope in the Parlor," as in all his fine and intimate essays, he is concerned with the very deepest subjects: time, memory, and what it means to be human. May this new addition to his 'Court of Memory' remind readers how vital and necessary a writer he is."Stewart O'Nan, author of "A Prayer for the Dying"

"James McConkey uses his own memory as a tool that unlocks everythinga telescope with a view of the entire universe. I can't think of another writer who uses that tool with as much precision, delicacy, and love."Anne Fadiman, author of "Ex Libris"

"McConkey makes of his own lifea thoughtful, powerful and vivid work of art."Annie Dillard

"James McConkey speaks to the reader with poignant force, illuminating ordinary lifeThere is no voice like his alive today."May Sarton

"The genre in which McConkey does his best writing has no name. He invented itWhat McConkey does is to create meaning out of ordinary lifehe'll create what is not exactly a story but a pattern in timeHis books should be famous."Noel Perrin, "USA Today""

Praise for James McConkey and The Telescope in the Parlor

"Elegant and deeply personal, McConkey's essays reveal a seasoned mind and a soulful spirit."--Publishers Weekly

"Like his colleagues Forster and Chekhov, James McConkey combines a sharp eye, a nimble mind and a bottomless generosity. In The Telescope in the Parlor, as in all his fine and intimate essays, he is concerned with the very deepest subjects: time, memory, and what it means to be human. May this new addition to his 'Court of Memory' remind readers how vital and necessary a writer he is."--Stewart O'Nan, author of A Prayer for the Dying

"James McConkey uses his own memory as a tool that unlocks everything--a telescope with a view of the entire universe. I can't think of another writer who uses that tool with as much precision, delicacy, and love."--Anne Fadiman, author of Ex Libris

"McConkey makes of his own life...a thoughtful, powerful and vivid work of art."--Annie Dillard

"James McConkey speaks to the reader with poignant force, illuminating ordinary life...There is no voice like his alive today."--May Sarton

"The genre in which McConkey does his best writing has no name. He invented it...What McConkey does is to create meaning out of ordinary life...he'll create what is not exactly a story but a pattern in time...His books should be famous."--Noel Perrin, USA Today

About the Author:

James McConkey is the author of Crossroads, The Tree House Confessions, The Novels of E.M. Forster, the Court of Memory, and many other books. He is Goldwin Smith Professor of English Literature Emeritus at Cornell University.

About this edition

• Publisher: Paul Dry Books, Inc
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 158988020X
• ISBN 13: 9781589880207
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 196