"A large part of the enjoyment one gets from reading these pieces (written largely between 2010 and 2016) is seeing a wit and intellect such as Jacobson digest and illuminate contemporary life. The author's prose is always a delight, as he dispenses immaculately formulated bon mots with an uncanny regularity." - Times Literary Supplement "A collection of mini-essays from one of England's finest writers . An ever gorgeous and witty writer with his own fierce opinions, Jacobson runs the gamut from Matisse, Leonard Cohen's fedora, and Andy Murray to children's literature, table tennis, and the 'wise decision' of shooting Osama bin Laden . A delightful and argute collection from a talented stylist." - Kirkus Reviews "Howard Jacobson is thoughtful, provocative and funny." - Shelf Awareness "In the end, these pieces were written as weekly installments. They were never intended to be read in one fell swoop.

They are short, pithy, and fun. They don't take themselves too seriously but, at the same time, they often provoke some significant reflection. This is the kind of book you should dip into periodically for its subtle complexity and entertainment value." - Washington Independent Review of Books "This second collection of [Jacobson's] newspaper pieces is a reminder of just how good they were: sharp and playful, surreal and thoughtful, and occasionally . rather moving." - New Statesman "Funny, argumentative, contrary and stuffed with ideas as well as a big, sympathetic personality . All too often, newspaper columnists write in order to elicit the established response from as coterie whose beliefs and prejudices they already know. Jacobson was satisfying because he always gave the impression of writing to start a discussion at least, an argument on a good day, even a proper fight.

" - Spectator "Filled with wit, wisdom, and incisive barbs, these mini-essays make up an enjoyable iconoclastic read." - Manhattan Book Review.