The Burning Library: Essays [Library Binding]

Edmund White (Author), David Bergman (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 27, 1994

Along with his groundbreaking essays that redefine politics, language, identity, and friendship in the light of gay experience and desire, this magisterial collection of 25 years of White's nonfiction writings includes dazzling subversive appreciations of cultural icons as diverse as Truman Capote and Cormac McCarthy, Robert Mapplethorpe and the singer formerly known as Prince. Reading tour.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

White's collection, unified by sharp wit and seemingly boundless erudition, has a surprising drawback: his trademark elegance of style, which works well in his book reviews (a large portion of which are reproduced here) is less appropriate to his political rhetoric. In those pieces the edges seem sanded down by restrained prose, even as White describes his anger at the marginalization of gays since Stonewall and the oppression that gay people, including himself, "no stranger to gay militancy," have traditionally faced from straight society. Yet when White assays literature, he nears perfection. His critiques of Tennessee Williams, Jean Genet, Coleman Dowell, James Jones, James Merrill, Cormac McCarthy and other writers are persuasive, especially when the authors discussed are White's friends or acquaintances. As readers of "A Boy's Own Story" and "The Beautiful Room Is Empty" will expect, White can be forcefully self-revealing; the autobiographical references are moving. But his writing on politics (he acknowledges his "nearly total silence" on AIDS) is insightful rather than inciting and seems to invite placid contemplation, not argument or action. Bergman is an English professor at Towson State University in Maryland. Reader's Subscription and QPB alternates.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

While White is best known for his novels, particularly A Boy's Own Story (LJ 9/1/82), this collection reveals what a fine essayist he is. White's descriptions of gay male life of the past 30 years and the changes in attitude that have occurred among gay men toward themselves and their sexuality are clear, forceful, intelligent, and thought-provoking. Nongays can learn much about the American gay male experience. White offers other essays and reviews of the work of contemporary writers, American and European, gay and nongay, such as James Merrill, Christina Stead, Darryl Pinckney, and Marguerite Yourcenar. This material, together with White's discussions of his own fiction, provides valuable insights into the reading and writing of literature. Six of the essays are previously unpublished. Highly recommended for literature collections.
Judy Mimken, Boise, Id.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Library Binding: 386 pages
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf; 1St Edition edition (September 27, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679434755
• ISBN-13: 978-0679434757
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,804,084 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Reader in the new world--non fiction., March 4, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Burning Library: Essays (Paperback)

As a struggling writer I find it difficult to consult my creativity in a nurturing yet properly instructive way. One of the main difficulties is finding the right literary setting to allow my ideas to flourish (or at least a place to plant them). Until I read The Burning Library I was only familiar with White's fiction. I was apprehensive about his essays; that the power of his imaginary voice would be subdued in the realm of non fiction. It is subdued but it is no less brilliant, no less insightful, and no less stimulating. White rules his world with a brutal and sensitive brain; he debunks "myth" as he creates it. When the essays turn to biography it helps to be familiar with who he's talking about (I reccomend a class in contemporary French Literary Criticism) but it isn't necessary. White is accessible, provocative and entertaining. After reading these essays it took me a long time to return to fiction--both reading and writing it. These are inspiring articles; intellectual, risque, humorous, and most importantly... still chic. I am--as with all White's writing--inspired to create but usually disappointed with how short I fall in my attempts to be similar. I highly reccomend this book to anyone interested in gay history or the contemporary gay culture.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Angle, January 12, 2008

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Ford Ka (Edinburgh, Scotland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Burning Library: Essays (Paperback)

It always pays to look at things from another angle. You may discover they are not exactly what you took them for at the first glance. Reading this book gives you a perfect oportunity to look at literature not only from a very different angle but also through the eyes of an eminent novelist and a keen literary critic. You may quarrel with White, reject his views but one thing is certain - it is very difficult to remain indifferent. A perfect addition to White's novels and an unorthodox course in 20th century literature.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Provocative and Far Ranging Collection, March 3, 2000

By 

Polonius (Flushing, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Burning Library: Essays (Paperback)

Edmund White is one of the foremost novelists of our day. He is also a literary critic and social observer of the first order.This collection of essays and reviews spans the period of the late 60's through the mid 90's and charts the changing views and mores of the gay world of which White is an important member. In addition, White's literary analysis of both well known figures such as Nabokov and lesser known poets and authors from all over is acute and thoughtful. White's discussion of his own work is invaluable to those of us, like myself, who are devotés and places it within the greater context of literature. Reading these essays and reviews made me want to explore further the authors and poets favored by the author, and that is what literary criticism is all about.