Week #1: "A Jacques Barzun Reader" - edited and compiled by Michael Murray

 

    Reading Jacques Barzun is always a pleasure. 

    His goal in his writing, like his book of the same name, is "Simple and Direct." His aim when he writes, is to distill his words down to an essence, because there is no reason to add filler; your words should be clear, concise, and understandable. He notes that "precipitation," while a lovely word, is too vague when you are referring to "rain," which is also a perfectly serviceable word. Precipitation could mean many things, such as rain, sleet, freezing rain, hail, snow... There is no reason to 'flex your word muscles' when there is a simple and direct word. Overcomplication is stultifying; you are rendering your prose absurd... ineffectual. 

    Reading through the table of contents alone lets you know that you are in for a treat. This is a collection of 80 essays, the earliest published in 1940. He writes on everything from the 'rehabilitation' of Shakespeare, to music criticism, literary criticism, baseball, the life of Abraham Lincoln, France in 1830, the meaning of schools... His work is exhaustive and edifying. His prose is uplifting, and a joy. He should be read with time, so you can slow your pace down, and enjoy the flow of his words. 

    I would not recommend reading this book in a series of long sittings. It is a collection of essays, the longest of which is perhaps 12 pages at most. Take Barzun in moderate doses, so you can enjoy the experience of visiting over time with one of the most amazing minds of the 20th century. 

    I'll close with a quote from a reviewer on Amazon. 

    "A Jacques Barzun Reader is a book for readers of Barzun, would-be readers of Barzun, and readers who have never liked Barzun. A treat for all these three kinds of readers are the few pages of verse at the end of the book."

    Cheers!

Scott