December 2009 Good Housekeeping selection.

Did you know that one of Proust’s sentences runs to 958 words? Actually, have you in fact ever read Proust? Or do you just have some vague recollection about the taste of madeleines? Not to worry, the subtitle of this book is How To Really Talk About Books You Haven’t Read – and the clue is in the Really. This clever book tricks you into thinking it is a straightforward cheat’s guide to getting away with minimum reading, maximum dinner-party kudos. But before you know it, you are so engrossed in the clever insights to greats such as Jane Austen - and our deep-rooted reasons for faking knowing more than we do - that you will have read a complete book before you realise… and have picked up plenty of fancy literary phrases to throw around at your next book group.

Synopsis

Ever wondered how some people seem to have an opinion on every book ever published? Nowadays, there are so many books: how can anyone be well read anymore? Well, help is at hand. Let Henry Hitchings educate you in the invaluable skill of literary bluffing in this survivor's guide to talking about books you haven't read. With tips on how to bluff with confidence using quotable insights and invaluable trivia, Henry Hitchings covers all the great books you ought to have read but haven't got round to yet. If you want to be able to hold your own in a debate about Stephen Hawking or Philip Roth or perhaps you find Shakespeare or Dostoevsky intimidating, then look no further. Including literary heavyweights such as Ulysses, Bleak House and War and Peace this guide will equip you with all the bookish information you need to bluff your way through any scenario, be it a vital exam, an in-depth conversation at the pub or chatting up the potential love of your life. Contents includes, Jane Austen, Shakespeare, Henry James, James Joyce, Proust, Homer, Virgil, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Dickens, various contemporary writers, the Bible, the Koran, fairy tales, select bestsellers and some poetry.

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About the Author

Henry Hitchings was born in 1974. Educated at the universities of Oxford and London, he wrote his doctoral thesis on Samuel Johnson. He has contributed to many newspapers and magazines. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation