On Books and Writers: Selected Essays

Unrue, a former student of Bruccoli's, shares a compilation of his late professor's literary criticisms and observations in the first published collection of the late author's work. Bruccoli, who authored or edited over 100 books, is still somewhat unknown in the literary world. Noted primarily for his scholarship of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Bruccoli wrote extensively about the steps and missteps in the conception of each of the author's novels, and immersed himself in the study of Fitzgerald's personal life, uncovering a link between the plots and release dates of his books and Zelda Fitzgerald's turbulent mental state. Also included are essays and personal observations concerning publishing, libraries and librarians, bibliography, and other prominent writers of the 20th century (including Wharton, Hemingway, and Chandler), offering details that will be most helpful to bibliographers and scholars. Unrue's collection is a loving look at the life and work of a man who embraced every element of literature, and his admiration for his subject shines through, illuminating the many accomplishments of an unknown icon. (June)