Why Read: Selected Writings 2001-2021

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From the Booker-shortlisted author of Umbrella comes a world-spanning collection of writings inspired by a life dedicated to literature. Will Self, hailed as "the most daring and delightful novelist of his generation" by The Guardian, presents a rich array of insightful and witty essays on writing and literature. He takes readers on a journey from the quirks of his typewriter repairman to the irradiated exclusion zone of Chernobyl and the Australian outback, exploring literary forms both past and future. With intellectual vigor, Self examines literary giants like Woolf, Kafka, Orwell, and Conrad, reflecting on W. G. Sebald's childhood in Germany and the transformation of William S. Burroughs's Junky from a shocking pulp novel to a cult classic. Expanding on his Literary Hub column, he poses vital questions about how and why we should read in an ever-evolving world. Whether discussing the rise of the bookshelf as a furniture item in the nineteenth century or the challenges of Googling his own name in a digital age, Self's intoxicating prose and sharp humor enliven each essay. This collection delves into the human stream of consciousness as it intertwines with literature, appealing to both longtime fans and new readers of this contemporary literary icon.