At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays | 
|  | | | Title: | At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays | | Author: | Anne Fadiman | | Publisher: | Farrar, Straus and Giroux | | Type: | Book / Paperback | | Publication Date: | 27 May, 2008 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 0374531315 / 9780374531317 | | List Price: | $12.00 | | You Save: | $2.40 | | Amazon Price: | $9.60 | |
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| Editorial Review / Publisher's Information:
Product Description
In At Large and At Small, Anne Fadiman returns to one of her favorite genres, the familiar essay—a beloved and hallowed literary tradition recognized for both its intellectual breadth and its miniaturist focus on everyday experiences. With the combination of humor and erudition that has distinguished her as one of our finest essayists, Fadiman draws us into twelve of her personal obsessions: from her slightly sinister childhood enthusiasm for catching butterflies to her monumental crush on Charles Lamb, from her wistfulness for the days of letter-writing to the challenges and rewards of moving from the city to the country.
Many of these essays were composed “under the influence” of the subject at hand. Fadiman ingests a shocking amount of ice cream and divulges her passion for Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Chocolate Chip and her brother’s homemade Liquid Nitrogen Kahlúa Coffee (recipe included); she sustains a terrific caffeine buzz while recounting Balzac’s coffee addiction; and she stays up till dawn to write about being a night owl, examining the rhythms of our circadian clocks and sharing such insomnia cures as her father’s nocturnal word games and Lewis Carroll’s mathematical puzzles. At Large and At Small is a brilliant and delightful collection of essays that harkens a revival of a long-cherished genre.
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Customer Reviews:
• The Art Of Essay Writing At Its Finest 19 August, 2008
This is an adorable little book. It is a book to relish slowly, not devour. I wished it had 500 more pages so I could have devoured it. I learned a lot of trivial yet fascinating facts about other writers, about butterflies and insects in general, about letter-writing and mail, among others. Ann Fadiman writes in a manner that really involves the reader, i.e. she makes you think that your attention to the topic is valuable, through careful selection of words, personal reflection, and poignant revelations of her family life. It's the sort of book that makes you think "I'm so glad I found it and read it". I wish there were more writers like her.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A34LLCG6Z63HI9
• A Writer's Writer 22 December, 2008
This book makes one thing abundantly clear: Ann Fadiman is a great essay writer. Each of these essays does everything good essays should. (1) They are concise. None of them takes longer than a half hour to read. (2) The language is crafted expertly. An astute reader will revel at the word choice and sentence structure, crafted with the painstaking detail of an artist with great felicity with English. (3) The author loves her subject matter. Although coffee and Coleridge and bug collecting may not seem to have much in common, Ms Fadiman infuses them with passion and curiosity and makes them her own. (4) Personality. In short, Ann Fadiman writes powerful, purposeful prose, adorned with wit, humor and pathos. I highly recommend this collection. Fadiman is a writer's writer.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A34KO7293BI235
• Delightful Read 02 October, 2008
Ann Fadiman writes beautifully and brings us into her personal world with warmth. I savored each essay, reading just one a day to make them last. Suzanne Love Harris, Wilson, Wyoming
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1BWQFNVE5WG2K
• Graceful Writing; Pleasant Reading 12 August, 2008
Anne Fadiman writes so beautifully that reading her books is well-nigh a spiritual experience. This lovely collection of essays will engage, enthrall, and enlighten any reader. Interesting, curious, and linguistically facile, Fadiman is always a great read.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A2CHUNIE7RMRBY
• Would She Come For Dinner At My House? ;-) 20 October, 2008
I loved Fadiman's other book, Ex Libris, and At Large continues to delight. Fadiman has a relentlessly curious mind and a terrific writing style. I felt as though I'd had a series of scintillating conversations with a brilliant, generous, funny friend. I can't recommend this book enough. The bibliography alone is worth the price. I fear my already groaning shelves will have to accommodate even more new books.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A722IRGJ32W7
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