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Summary and Reviews of Vintage Reading : From Plato to Bradbury by Robert Kanigel

Vintage Reading : From Plato to Bradbury by Robert Kanigel

Vintage Reading : From Plato to Bradbury

A Personal Tour of Some of the World's Best Books

by Robert Kanigel
  • Critics' Consensus (3):
  • Paperback:
  • Mar 1998, 228 pages
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About This Book

Book Summary

Presents a collection of essays unlike any other stuffy attempt at introducing the modern reader to the Great Books.

In a world beset with the often mindless clutter of television, films, the internet and other distractions, many of us long to renew our acquaintance with the great literature and thought of the ages - to read a book. But what book? Robert Kanigel's Vintage Reading, with its fascinating summaries of books, great and near-great, is the perfect guidepost. Kanigel, a distinguished writer, so effectively conveys his love of great books that one can envision his creating a new generation of readers.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

Booklist
A professional reviewer, Kanigel occasionally chose books to review for the Baltimore Sun that weren't new. He gathered those columns into this cozy and enlightening book. His divisions are revealing: everyone's classics; title appearing on many a list for burning; one-of-a-kinds; best-sellers; those dealing with the realm of the spirit. Because they were columns, their format and brevity sometimes are of a muchness: a boffo opening sentence and a catchy close. But Kanigel takes another look at titles as varied as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Nana; The Microbe Hunters and A Bell for Adano; and he makes us want to pick them up again and read what he read. He shares the odd little fact, like how caryatids got their name or what a sonata is. He offers a flash, now and then, of spot-on description (Malthus as "intellectual history's Gloomy Gus"). Fun to read and fine fodder for book-discussion groups.

Library Journal
Book groups looking for titles would find this a good choice as would library users who want a list to guide their reading. Recommended for public libraries.

School Library Journal
These brief essays on Kanigel's personal choice of best books provide a unique point of view to literature students in search of an overview or comments about their favorite work. The author makes no claim to be scholarly or comprehensive, but has written briefly about enduring books and stories that appeal to his "middle-brow" tastes.

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $60 for 12 months or $20 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Read-Alikes

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  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $60 for 12 months or $20 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

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