London Review of Books

Erudite, witty and often controversial, The London Review of Books informs and entertains its readers with a fortnightly dose of the best and liveliest of all things cultural.

This anthology brings together some of the most memorable pieces from recent years, includes Alan Bennett’s Diary, Christopher Hitchens on Bill Clinton’s presidency, Terry Castle’s hotly-debated reading of Jane Austen’s letters, Jerry Fodor taking issue with Richard Dawkins on evolution, Victor Kiernan on treason, Jenny Diski musing on death, Stephen Frears’ adventures in Hollywood, Linda Colley on Nancy Reagan, Frank Kermode on Paul de Man and much much more.

Since its advent in 1979, the London Review of Books has remained a very readable (au courant Americans have no trouble getting the references) font of high-end opinion. Although it covers the intellectual waterfront from deconstruction to movie criticism, its most rib-sticking pieces have concerned social and political matters. This greatest-hits package reflects that strength. You'll be wowed by Christopher Hitchens's 1992 thumbnail of Bill Clinton; Paul Foot's still small voice against the Gulf War; and think-tank big-foot Edward Luttwak's 1994 essay on the tectonic shifts in the leading economies, in which he makes a bothersomely good case for his title, "Why Fascism Is the Wave of the Future." But don't forget to sneak down-market to the diary section, where film director Stephen Frears reveals how he didn't get to make Donnie Brasco and playwright Alan Bennett tells a rear-end joke you'll use first chance you get.