Things I Don't Want to Know - Softcover

Levy, Deborah

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0241146569 ISBN 13: 9780241146569

Publisher: Penguin, 2014

Synopsis

Things I Don't Want to Know is Deborah Levy's sparkling response to Orwell's Why I Write.

'Things I Don't Want to Know' is a unique response to George Orwell from one of our most vital contemporary writers. Taking Orwell's famous list of motives for writing as the jumping-off point for a sequence of thrilling reflections on the writing life, this is a perfect companion not just to Orwell's essay, but also to Levy's own, essential oeuvre.

'In her powerful rejoinder to Orwell, Deborah Levy responds to his proposed motives for writing -- 'sheer egoism', 'aesthetic enthusiasm', 'historical impulse' and 'political purpose' -- with illuminating moments of autobiography. A vivid, striking account of a writer's life, which feminises and personalises Orwell's blunt assertions' Spectator

'An up-to-date version of 'A Room of One's Own' . . . I suspect it will be quoted for many years to come' Irish Examiner

'Levy's strength is her originality of thought and expression' Jeanette Winterson

Deborah Levy writes fiction, plays and poetry. Her work has been staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company, and she is the author of numerous highly praised books including The Unloved, Swallowing Geography and Beautiful Mutants, all of which are now published by Penguin. Her novel Swimming Home was shortlisted for the 2012 Man Booker Prize, 2012 Specsavers National Book Awards and 2013 Jewish Quarterly Wingate Prize.

About this title

Review:

An up-to-date version of 'A Room of One's Own' . . . I suspect it will be quoted for many years to come (Irish Examiner)

Superb sharpness and originality of imagination. It is feminist and political while being an inspiring work of writing . . . She writes on the high wire, unfalteringly (Marina Warner)

Levy's strength is her originality of thought and expression (Jeanette Winterson)

An exciting writer, sharp and shocking as the knives her characters wield (Sunday Times)

One of the few contemporary British writers comfortable on a world stage (New Statesman)

A writer whose anger and confusion in the face of the world transform into poetic flights of fancy . . . which always feel marvellously right (Independent)

From the Back Cover:

Things I Don't Want to Know is a unique response to George Orwell from one of our most vital contemporary writers. Taking Orwell's famous list of motives for writing as the jumping-off point for a sequence of thrilling reflections on the writing life, this is a perfect companion not just to Orwell's essay, but also to Levy's own, essential oeuvre.

'A powerful feminist response to Orwell's "Why I Write" New Statesman

'Inspired by Orwell, another unique writer tells her tale. Marvellously right' Independent

'Superb sharpness and originality of imagination. It is feminist and political while being an inspiring work of writing' Marina Warner

'Original, unmissable. like chancing upon an oasis. The writing is of such quality that you want to drink it slowly' Kate Kellaway, Guardian

'In her powerful rejoinder to Orwell, Deborah Levy responds to his proposed motives for writing -- 'sheer egoism', 'aesthetic enthusiasm', 'historical impulse' and 'political purpose' -- with illuminating moments of autobiography. A vivid, striking account of a writer's life, which feminises and personalises Orwell's blunt assertions' Spectator

'It will be quoted for many years to come' Irish Examiner

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0241146569
• ISBN 13: 9780241146569
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 128