Bookends

More about the book

In this compilation, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon explores literature through a personal lens, reflecting on the classics and his own works that have shaped his literary journey. He questions the purpose of introductions and afterwords, noting that they aim to bring pleasure to readers. This collection serves as a series of love letters and thank-you notes, centered on the joy of discovery. Chabon shares pivotal moments from his life, such as the impact of Ray Bradbury's "The Rocket Man," and celebrates figures like Edgar Rice Burroughs, whom he hails as the greatest literary cartographer of Mars. He reintroduces M.R. James, a forgotten master of ghost stories, and draws parallels between Wes Anderson's films and our own realities. Chabon also recounts his awakening while writing his debut novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, and playfully critiques lyrical interpretation in Mark Ronson's Uptown Special. Far from being academic, this work revels in wonder, akin to the cherished gift of The Phantom Tollbooth given to young Michael by a long-lost family friend.