Picture 1 of 3
Gallery
Picture 1 of 3
SIGNED The Questions That Matter Most by Jane Smiley, autograph, new, Pulitzer
US $189.99
ApproximatelyS$ 242.90
or Best Offer
Condition:
Brand New
A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages.
2 available
Oops! Looks like we're having trouble connecting to our server.
Refresh your browser window to try again.
Shipping:
Free USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope®.
Located in: Los Angeles, California, United States
Delivery:
Estimated between Mon, 30 Jun and Mon, 7 Jul to 94104
Returns:
30 days return. Buyer pays for return shipping. If you use an eBay shipping label, it will be deducted from your refund amount.
Coverage:
Read item description or contact seller for details. See all detailsSee all details on coverage
(Not eligible for eBay purchase protection programmes)
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:196215651158
Item specifics
- Condition
- Brand New: A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. See all condition definitionsopens in a new window or tab
- Personalize
- No
- Signed
- Yes
- Ex Libris
- No
- Personalized
- No
- Inscribed
- No
- Vintage
- No
- ISBN
- 9781597146050
About this product
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Heyday
ISBN-10
1597146056
ISBN-13
9781597146050
eBay Product ID (ePID)
9057269322
Product Key Features
Book Title
Questions That Matter Most : Reading, Writing, and the Exercise of Freedom
Number of Pages
256 Pages
Language
English
Topic
Personal Memoirs, American / General, Essays
Publication Year
2023
Genre
Literary Criticism, Biography & Autobiography, Literary Collections
Format
Hardcover
Dimensions
Item Height
1 in
Item Weight
16.2 Oz
Item Length
8.5 in
Item Width
5.5 in
Additional Product Features
LCCN
2022-041766
Reviews
Praise for The Questions That Matter Most : "In this sharp compendium, Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley brings together her literary criticism, which brims with the same keen observations, inquisitiveness, and humor as her novels. [...] Fleet-footed and smart, this delights." -- Publishers Weekly "[ The Questions That Matter Most ] gathers essays (and two stories) composed with wit, enthusiasm, expertise, and candor [...] Smiley's agile, seemingly blithe inquiries are wryly incisive, ethically rigorous, and propelled by her profound passion for literature as an endless source of illumination and liberation." -- Donna Seaman, Booklist "Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley dives into the landscapes where much of her work is set--and the writing of authors who have redefined the novel. Smiley's voraciousness as a reader drives the book, which is peppered with insights into Charles Dickens, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Louisa May Alcott, Willa Cather, Franz Kafka, and others." -- Alta Journal "The prescient questions Smiley addresses are angled at California and American literary history through the work of a cohort of seminal writers [...] The ambiguity of the Golden State in terms of freedom, autonomy, race, class, identity, sex and other topics is filtered through Smiley's perspectives as a resident of California and paired with the work of these classic writers whose work informs her own." -- East Bay Express Praise for Jane Smiley: "She turns literary and stylistic cartwheels. ... Is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?"-- Pico Iyer, Time "Smiley unceremoniously plunges us into a torrent of character and event, trusting that we will emerge transformed by her exhilarating baptism, and we do."-- The New Yorker "In her sensuous responsiveness to the facts of the world, Smiley has started to look like the best living American novelist."-- Philip Hensher, The Observer (London), Praise for The Questions That Matter Most : "In this slim yet valuable book, Smiley gives educators, readers, and writers much to discuss. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal , starred review "It's hard to overstate the pleasure of reading Jane Smiley--especially, for me, her essays. [...] The Questions that Matter Most offers a case in point. Line for line, Smiley delivers such clear, vibrant, precise prose--handed forth as calmly and equitably as an ice cream cone, even when she's incensed--that a reader feels smarter just taking it in. [...] This quality of keen, cool analysis suffuses every piece." -- Joan Frank, The Boston Globe "In this sharp compendium, Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley brings together her literary criticism, which brims with the same keen observations, inquisitiveness, and humor as her novels. [...] Fleet-footed and smart, this delights." -- Publishers Weekly "[ The Questions That Matter Most ] gathers essays (and two stories) composed with wit, enthusiasm, expertise, and candor [...] Smiley's agile, seemingly blithe inquiries are wryly incisive, ethically rigorous, and propelled by her profound passion for literature as an endless source of illumination and liberation." -- Donna Seaman, Booklist "Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley dives into the landscapes where much of her work is set--and the writing of authors who have redefined the novel. Smiley's voraciousness as a reader drives the book, which is peppered with insights into Charles Dickens, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Louisa May Alcott, Willa Cather, Franz Kafka, and others." -- Alta Journal "The prescient questions Smiley addresses are angled at California and American literary history through the work of a cohort of seminal writers [...] The ambiguity of the Golden State in terms of freedom, autonomy, race, class, identity, sex and other topics is filtered through Smiley's perspectives as a resident of California and paired with the work of these classic writers whose work informs her own." -- East Bay Express Praise for Jane Smiley: "She turns literary and stylistic cartwheels. ... Is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?"-- Pico Iyer, Time "Smiley unceremoniously plunges us into a torrent of character and event, trusting that we will emerge transformed by her exhilarating baptism, and we do."-- The New Yorker "In her sensuous responsiveness to the facts of the world, Smiley has started to look like the best living American novelist."-- Philip Hensher, The Observer (London), Praise for 13 Ways of Looking at the Novel (2006): "Engaging. ... Down-to-earth. ... Smiley's unmediated voice-blunt, uncompromising and witty-rings from every page. ... She inspires wicked delight."-- Los Angeles Times Book Review "A massive victory. ... Awfully smart. ... Always a pleasure."-- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution "Provocative. ... Wise and humane. ... It reminds readers of the novel why they love their avocation. ... I most heartily recommend it."-- Marjorie Kehe, The Christian Science Monitor "Thorough, insightful. ... Sure to inspire delicious debate and excite interest in undiscovered works. ... Her critiques are shrewd, artful and unflinching. ... Thirteen Ways continues to whisper its profundities long after the last page is turned."-- Rocky Mountain News, Praise for The Questions That Matter Most : "In this sharp compendium, Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley brings together her literary criticism, which brims with the same keen observations, inquisitiveness, and humor as her novels. [...] Fleet-footed and smart, this delights." -- Publishers Weekly Praise for Jane Smiley: "She turns literary and stylistic cartwheels. ... Is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?"-- Pico Iyer, Time "Smiley unceremoniously plunges us into a torrent of character and event, trusting that we will emerge transformed by her exhilarating baptism, and we do."-- The New Yorker "In her sensuous responsiveness to the facts of the world, Smiley has started to look like the best living American novelist."-- Philip Hensher, The Observer (London), Praise for The Questions That Matter Most : "In this slim yet valuable book, Smiley gives educators, readers, and writers much to discuss. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal , starred review "It's hard to overstate the pleasure of reading Jane Smiley--especially, for me, her essays. [...] The Questions that Matter Most offers a case in point. Line for line, Smiley delivers such clear, vibrant, precise prose--handed forth as calmly and equitably as an ice cream cone, even when she's incensed--that a reader feels smarter just taking it in. [...] This quality of keen, cool analysis suffuses every piece." -- Joan Frank, The Boston Globe "In this sharp compendium, Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley brings together her literary criticism, which brims with the same keen observations, inquisitiveness, and humor as her novels. [...] Fleet-footed and smart, this delights." -- Publishers Weekly "[ The Questions That Matter Most ] gathers essays (and two stories) composed with wit, enthusiasm, expertise, and candor [...] Smiley's agile, seemingly blithe inquiries are wryly incisive, ethically rigorous, and propelled by her profound passion for literature as an endless source of illumination and liberation." -- Donna Seaman, Booklist " The Questions That Matter Most is a slim but rangy volume featuring eighteen accessible B-sides that twine details of place and musings on novels--both writing and reading them. [...] Years ago, she wrote that 'to write novels is to broadcast the various stages of your foolishness.' As the essays here remind us, that's too humble by half." -- Alta Journal "The prescient questions Smiley addresses are angled at California and American literary history through the work of a cohort of seminal writers [...] The ambiguity of the Golden State in terms of freedom, autonomy, race, class, identity, sex and other topics is filtered through Smiley's perspectives as a resident of California and paired with the work of these classic writers whose work informs her own." -- East Bay Express Praise for Jane Smiley: "She turns literary and stylistic cartwheels. ... Is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?"-- Pico Iyer, Time "Smiley unceremoniously plunges us into a torrent of character and event, trusting that we will emerge transformed by her exhilarating baptism, and we do."-- The New Yorker "In her sensuous responsiveness to the facts of the world, Smiley has started to look like the best living American novelist."-- Philip Hensher, The Observer (London), Praise for The Questions That Matter Most : "In this sharp compendium, Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley brings together her literary criticism, which brims with the same keen observations, inquisitiveness, and humor as her novels. [...] Fleet-footed and smart, this delights." -- Publishers Weekly "[ The Questions That Matter Most ] gathers essays (and two stories) composed with wit, enthusiasm, expertise, and candor [...] Smiley's agile, seemingly blithe inquiries are wryly incisive, ethically rigorous, and propelled by her profound passion for literature as an endless source of illumination and liberation." -- Donna Seaman, Booklist "The prescient questions Smiley addresses are angled at California and American literary history through the work of a cohort of seminal writers [...] The ambiguity of the Golden State in terms of freedom, autonomy, race, class, identity, sex and other topics is filtered through Smiley's perspectives as a resident of California and paired with the work of these classic writers whose work informs her own." -- East Bay Express Praise for Jane Smiley: "She turns literary and stylistic cartwheels. ... Is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?"-- Pico Iyer, Time "Smiley unceremoniously plunges us into a torrent of character and event, trusting that we will emerge transformed by her exhilarating baptism, and we do."-- The New Yorker "In her sensuous responsiveness to the facts of the world, Smiley has started to look like the best living American novelist."-- Philip Hensher, The Observer (London), Praise for Jane Smiley: "She turns literary and stylistic cartwheels. ... Is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?"-- Pico Iyer, Time "Smiley unceremoniously plunges us into a torrent of character and event, trusting that we will emerge transformed by her exhilarating baptism, and we do."-- The New Yorker "In her sensuous responsiveness to the facts of the world, Smiley has started to look like the best living American novelist."-- Philip Hensher, The Observer (London), Jane Smiley is the recipient of the 2024 Robert Kirsch Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes Praise for The Questions That Matter Most : "In this slim yet valuable book, Smiley gives educators, readers, and writers much to discuss. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal , starred review "It's hard to overstate the pleasure of reading Jane Smiley--especially, for me, her essays. [...] The Questions that Matter Most offers a case in point. Line for line, Smiley delivers such clear, vibrant, precise prose--handed forth as calmly and equitably as an ice cream cone, even when she's incensed--that a reader feels smarter just taking it in. [...] This quality of keen, cool analysis suffuses every piece." -- Joan Frank, The Boston Globe "In this sharp compendium, Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley brings together her literary criticism, which brims with the same keen observations, inquisitiveness, and humor as her novels. [...] Fleet-footed and smart, this delights." -- Publishers Weekly "[ The Questions That Matter Most ] gathers essays (and two stories) composed with wit, enthusiasm, expertise, and candor [...] Smiley's agile, seemingly blithe inquiries are wryly incisive, ethically rigorous, and propelled by her profound passion for literature as an endless source of illumination and liberation." -- Donna Seaman, Booklist " The Questions That Matter Most is a slim but rangy volume featuring eighteen accessible B-sides that twine details of place and musings on novels--both writing and reading them. [...] Years ago, she wrote that 'to write novels is to broadcast the various stages of your foolishness.' As the essays here remind us, that's too humble by half." -- Alta Journal "Jane Smiley is an accomplished novelist and a dedicated student of the form. Her latest book, The Questions That Matter Most , assembles pieces on a range of topics: motherhood, childhood and, naturally, novels." -- Mark Athitakis, The Washington Post "The prescient questions Smiley addresses are angled at California and American literary history through the work of a cohort of seminal writers [...] The ambiguity of the Golden State in terms of freedom, autonomy, race, class, identity, sex and other topics is filtered through Smiley's perspectives as a resident of California and paired with the work of these classic writers whose work informs her own." -- East Bay Express "Author Jane Smiley is a literary powerhouse [...] the master of the family psyche, the community psyche, and human relationship analysis." -- Monterey County Weekly "Jane Smiley is a force of nature. Her new book, The Questions That Matter Most , marks her first literary nonfiction collection in nearly 20 years." -- Nob Hill Gazette Praise for Jane Smiley: "She turns literary and stylistic cartwheels. ... Is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?"-- Pico Iyer, Time "Smiley unceremoniously plunges us into a torrent of character and event, trusting that we will emerge transformed by her exhilarating baptism, and we do."-- The New Yorker "In her sensuous responsiveness to the facts of the world, Smiley has started to look like the best living American novelist."-- Philip Hensher, The Observer (London), Praise for The Questions That Matter Most : "In this sharp compendium, Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley brings together her literary criticism, which brims with the same keen observations, inquisitiveness, and humor as her novels. [...] Fleet-footed and smart, this delights." -- Publishers Weekly "[ The Questions That Matter Most ] gathers essays (and two stories) composed with wit, enthusiasm, expertise, and candor [...] Smiley's agile, seemingly blithe inquiries are wryly incisive, ethically rigorous, and propelled by her profound passion for literature as an endless source of illumination and liberation." -- Donna Seaman, Booklist Praise for Jane Smiley: "She turns literary and stylistic cartwheels. ... Is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?"-- Pico Iyer, Time "Smiley unceremoniously plunges us into a torrent of character and event, trusting that we will emerge transformed by her exhilarating baptism, and we do."-- The New Yorker "In her sensuous responsiveness to the facts of the world, Smiley has started to look like the best living American novelist."-- Philip Hensher, The Observer (London), Praise for The Questions That Matter Most : "In this slim yet valuable book, Smiley gives educators, readers, and writers much to discuss. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal , starred review "It's hard to overstate the pleasure of reading Jane Smiley--especially, for me, her essays. [...] The Questions that Matter Most offers a case in point. Line for line, Smiley delivers such clear, vibrant, precise prose--handed forth as calmly and equitably as an ice cream cone, even when she's incensed--that a reader feels smarter just taking it in. [...] This quality of keen, cool analysis suffuses every piece." -- Joan Frank, The Boston Globe "In this sharp compendium, Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley brings together her literary criticism, which brims with the same keen observations, inquisitiveness, and humor as her novels. [...] Fleet-footed and smart, this delights." -- Publishers Weekly "[ The Questions That Matter Most ] gathers essays (and two stories) composed with wit, enthusiasm, expertise, and candor [...] Smiley's agile, seemingly blithe inquiries are wryly incisive, ethically rigorous, and propelled by her profound passion for literature as an endless source of illumination and liberation." -- Donna Seaman, Booklist " The Questions That Matter Most is a slim but rangy volume featuring eighteen accessible B-sides that twine details of place and musings on novels--both writing and reading them. [...] Years ago, she wrote that 'to write novels is to broadcast the various stages of your foolishness.' As the essays here remind us, that's too humble by half." -- Alta Journal "Jane Smiley is an accomplished novelist and a dedicated student of the form. Her latest book, The Questions That Matter Most , assembles pieces on a range of topics: motherhood, childhood and, naturally, novels." -- Mark Athitakis, The Washington Post "The prescient questions Smiley addresses are angled at California and American literary history through the work of a cohort of seminal writers [...] The ambiguity of the Golden State in terms of freedom, autonomy, race, class, identity, sex and other topics is filtered through Smiley's perspectives as a resident of California and paired with the work of these classic writers whose work informs her own." -- East Bay Express "Author Jane Smiley is a literary powerhouse [...] the master of the family psyche, the community psyche, and human relationship analysis." -- Monterey County Weekly "Jane Smiley is a force of nature. Her new book, The Questions That Matter Most , marks her first literary nonfiction collection in nearly 20 years." -- Nob Hill Gazette Praise for Jane Smiley: "She turns literary and stylistic cartwheels. ... Is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?"-- Pico Iyer, Time "Smiley unceremoniously plunges us into a torrent of character and event, trusting that we will emerge transformed by her exhilarating baptism, and we do."-- The New Yorker "In her sensuous responsiveness to the facts of the world, Smiley has started to look like the best living American novelist."-- Philip Hensher, The Observer (London), Praise for The Questions That Matter Most : "In this slim yet valuable book, Smiley gives educators, readers, and writers much to discuss. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal , starred review "In this sharp compendium, Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley brings together her literary criticism, which brims with the same keen observations, inquisitiveness, and humor as her novels. [...] Fleet-footed and smart, this delights." -- Publishers Weekly "[ The Questions That Matter Most ] gathers essays (and two stories) composed with wit, enthusiasm, expertise, and candor [...] Smiley's agile, seemingly blithe inquiries are wryly incisive, ethically rigorous, and propelled by her profound passion for literature as an endless source of illumination and liberation." -- Donna Seaman, Booklist "Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley dives into the landscapes where much of her work is set--and the writing of authors who have redefined the novel. Smiley's voraciousness as a reader drives the book, which is peppered with insights into Charles Dickens, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Louisa May Alcott, Willa Cather, Franz Kafka, and others." -- Alta Journal "The prescient questions Smiley addresses are angled at California and American literary history through the work of a cohort of seminal writers [...] The ambiguity of the Golden State in terms of freedom, autonomy, race, class, identity, sex and other topics is filtered through Smiley's perspectives as a resident of California and paired with the work of these classic writers whose work informs her own." -- East Bay Express Praise for Jane Smiley: "She turns literary and stylistic cartwheels. ... Is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?"-- Pico Iyer, Time "Smiley unceremoniously plunges us into a torrent of character and event, trusting that we will emerge transformed by her exhilarating baptism, and we do."-- The New Yorker "In her sensuous responsiveness to the facts of the world, Smiley has started to look like the best living American novelist."-- Philip Hensher, The Observer (London)
TitleLeading
The
Table Of Content
Introduction My Absent Father Iceland Made Me Can Mothers Think? The Most Important Question Marguerite, Queen of Navarre, Gives Desdemona Some Advice The One and Only I Am Your "Prudent Amy" Why Go On? Say It Ain't So, Huck Thoughts on My Ántonia Gregor: My Life as a Bug The Other Nancy Mitford Meet Jessica Mitford Laughing to the End Farewell, Alice Munro, and Thanks for Everything History vs. Historical Fiction Reflections on St. Louis Writing Is an Exercise in Freedom About the Author
Synopsis
One of California's leading writers, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, presents her first nonfiction volume on writing since 2005's best-selling Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel. "Smiley gives educators, readers, and writers much to discuss. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal , starred review "Line for line, Smiley delivers such clear, vibrant, precise prose--handed forth as calmly and equitably as an ice cream cone, even when she's incensed--that a reader feels smarter just taking it in." -- The Boston Globe Long acclaimed as one of America's preeminent novelists, Jane Smiley is also an unparalleled observer of the craft of writing. In The Questions That Matter Most this Pulitzer Prize-winning writer offers steady and penetrating essays on some of the aesthetic and cultural issues that mark any serious engagement with reading and writing. Beginning with a personal introduction tracing Smiley's migration from Iowa to California, the author reflects on her findings in the varied literature of the Golden State, whose writers have for decades litigated the West's contested legacies of racism, class conflict, and sexual politics through their pens. As she considers the ambiguity of character and the weight of history, her essays provide new entry points into literature, and we lucky readers can see how Smiley draws inspiration from across the literary spectrum to invigorate her own writing. With enthusiasm and meticulous attention, Smiley dives beneath surface-level interpretations to examine the works of Marguerite de Navarre, Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, Willa Cather, Franz Kafka, Halldór Laxness, and Jessica Mitford. Throughout, Smiley seeks to think harder and, in her words, with "more clarity and nuance" about the questions that matter most., One of California's leading writers, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, presents her first nonfiction volume on writing since 2005's best-selling Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel. Long acclaimed as one of America's preeminent novelists, Jane Smiley is also an unparalleled observer of the craft of writing. In The Questions That Matter Most this Pulitzer Prize-winning writer offers steady and penetrating essays on some of the aesthetic and cultural issues that mark any serious engagement with reading and writing. Beginning with a personal introduction tracing Smiley's migration from Iowa to California, the author reflects on her findings in the varied literature of the Golden State, whose writers have for decades litigated the West's contested legacies of racism, class conflict, and sexual politics through their pens. As she considers the ambiguity of character and the weight of history, her essays provide new entry points into literature, and we lucky readers can see how Smiley draws inspiration from across the literary spectrum to invigorate her own writing. With enthusiasm and meticulous attention, Smiley dives beneath surface-level interpretations to examine the works of Marguerite de Navarre, Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, Willa Cather, Franz Kafka, Halldór Laxness, and Jessica Mitford. Throughout, Smiley seeks to think harder and, in her words, with "more clarity and nuance" about the questions that matter most.
LC Classification Number
PS3569.M39Z46 2023
Item description from the seller
Seller feedback (639)
- *****- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseThis item was mailed promptly, arrived by the anticipated delivery date, and was exactly as described. Item was securely packaged and, as a result, was undamaged during shipment. Buyer appreciated the communication from the seller, as well as the photos from the signing event.
- *****- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseEverything was packaged well! Great seller and everything was as described! Shipping and value of items we great too!
- *****- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseNice item and transaction!
This is a private listing and your identity will not be disclosed to anyone except the seller.
Seller feedback (639)
- *****- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseThis item was mailed promptly, arrived by the anticipated delivery date, and was exactly as described. Item was securely packaged and, as a result, was undamaged during shipment. Buyer appreciated the communication from the seller, as well as the photos from the signing event.
- *****- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseEverything was packaged well! Great seller and everything was as described! Shipping and value of items we great too!
- *****- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseNice item and transaction!