A Wanderer in the Perfect City: Selected Passion Pieces

by Lawrence Weschler

Book Overview

?There is something both marvelous and hilarious,? writes Lawrence Weschler, ?in watching the humdrum suddenly take flight. This is, in part, a collection of such launchings.? Indeed, the eight essays... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226893901
• ISBN13: 9780226893907
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.9" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Weschler is a Superb Non-Fiction Writer

The one thing that strikes me most about Weschler's writing is that he allows his subjects to talk. His quotes are long. One good thing about this is that the reader really gets to know the subjects well. It's almost like a Q & A format. Thus, there is very little room for subjective opinions in Weschler's writing; he tells it like it is. This style leads, ultimately, to long articles -- one is almost 70 pages, the length of a short novella -- each naunce of the topic is covered from multiple perspectives, giving the reader a complete picture. My favorite article in the book is about a former rocket scientist turned Wall Street broker turned circus clown. Weschler chronicles the decision of one MIT grad to live his life-long dream of attending clown school. Along the way, Weschler convolves Aerospace engineering, bond trading, and circus performing, and allows the reader to see why each activity is just as difficult as the next. Recommended for all aspiring non-fiction writers. Study the craft of Lawrence Weschler!

curious look into eccentric lives

In this book the author writes nonfiction articles about various interesting characters. He talks to an art promoter, a cartoonist and all sorts of others. The art promoter was an Indian who discover an unknown abstract expressionist in New York, and gets him know in the art world. It's a strange thing how it works out. There is something funky, and offbeat about all these characters, but what is really cool about the authors writing, is that it is very easy too imagine what these people are like. Very cool book.