Literary Criticism

"Writing only leads to more writing." — Colette

Meme Formalism
Michael Dango on Twitter formalists.
Michael DangoDec 18, 2019
- Literary Criticism
The Magical Time-Travel Element: An Interview with Greg Gerke
Hugh Sheehy talks to Greg Gerke about his new essay collection, “See What I See,” and the intersections of life, writing, and cinema.
Hugh SheehyDec 17, 2019
- Literary Criticism
- Memoir & Essay
Remembering Scott Timberg
Los Angeles lost a beloved local writer and his friends remember him.
Alissa Quart, Andy Hermann, Bill Holdship, Charles McNulty, Dana Gioia, Dean Kuipers, Jeff Turrentine, Joe Donnelly, Lynell George, Richard Thompson, Robert George, Stanton Hall, Steve Wasserman, Ted Gioia, Tim Appelo, Tom Zoellner, Tony Ortega, Willis Peter BilderbackDec 16, 2019
Conrad and Coal
The exploitative mining of coal was central to Conrad’s critique of colonial capitalism.
Douglas KammenDec 11, 2019
The Social Limits of Israeli and Palestinian Literature
Danielle Drori reviews “Makers of Worlds, Readers of Signs: Israeli and Palestinian Literature of the Global Contemporary.”
Danielle DroriNov 30, 2019
- Around the World
- Literary Criticism
An Exercise in Redemption: On Deirdre Bair’s “Parisian Lives”
In her new memoir, Deirdre Bair defends her biographical research and writing.
Sophie Madeline DessNov 14, 2019
The Keys to Robert Graves’s Mythologies
Matt Keeley considers the uncertain legacy of Robert Graves as well as a new biography of the writer by Jean Moorcroft Wilson.
Matt KeeleyNov 13, 2019
Who Needs Literature?
LARB presents an essay by Isaac Bashevis Singer, translated from the Yiddish by David Stromberg.
Isaac Bashevis SingerNov 11, 2019
- Around the World
- Literary Criticism
Isaac Bashevis Singer: Writer and Critic
David Stromberg considers the long-neglected critical writings of Isaac Bashevis Singer.
David StrombergNov 11, 2019
The Impossible Future of the Futures Market
A special issue of “New Centennial Review” tackles the metastases of finance capitalism.
John RiederNov 1, 2019
The Emancipation of Little Women: On Library of America’s “March Sisters”
On the limits of archetype and power of self-mythology in “March Sisters.”
Emma BakerOct 20, 2019
- Fiction
- Literary Criticism
A Picture of Youth: On Stephanie Insley Hershinow’s “Born Yesterday: Inexperience and the Early Realist Novel”
Jason Pearl reviews “Born Yesterday: Inexperience and the Early Realist Novel” by Stephanie Insley Hershinow.
Jason PearlOct 9, 2019
- Literary Criticism