Reviews
"Epic . . . crazily rich with thought . . . remarkably detailed . . . Gass beautifully coaxes the unheard music from a seemingly muted life . . . the model of a living, introverted mind and fodder for a symphonic anti-adventure story . . . the unprecedented work of a master." - Publishers Weekly (boxed) "Engaging, melancholy . . . Gass remains a master of apt metaphors, graceful sentences and a flinty, unforgiving brand of hum∨ it may be the most entertaining novel you'll read that half wishes humanity was wiped off the map. . . . Gass, now 88, clearly has endings on his mind, which he addresses with fearsome brio and wit." - Kirkus, "Of all living literary figures, William Gass may count as the most daringly scathing and most assertively fecund: in language, in ideas, in intricacy of form; above all in relentless fury… From its opening notes until its coda, this unquiet bildungsroman is designed to detonate its mild, middling title… Exhilaratingly ingenious… unexpected and dizzying…" - Cynthia Ozick , The New York Times Book Review (cover) " Middle C takes its place in that great line of modern novels about inauthenticity… However, there is nothing sham to William Gass's art: It's not just dazzling, it's the real thing." -Michael Dirda, The Washington Post "Entertaining and enlightening… emotionally gouging as well as amusing… I rank the novel first among Gass's six books of fiction." -Tom LeClair, The Barnes and Noble Review "A masterly work of language and imagery from one of America's most celebrated authors." -Joshua Finnell, Library Journal (starred) "A mischievous variation on the moral dilemmas raised in Gass' The Tunnel . . . In this exuberantly learned bildungsroman-this torrent of curious facts and arch commentary, puns and allusions-internationally lauded virtuoso Gass reflects on humanity's crimes and marvels, creating his funniest and most life-embracing book yet." - Booklist (starred) "Epic . . . crazily rich with thought . . . remarkably detailed . . . Gass beautifully coaxes the unheard music from a seemingly muted life . . . the unprecedented work of a master." - Publishers Weekly (boxed) "Engaging, melancholy . . . Gass remains a master of apt metaphors, graceful sentences and a flinty, unforgiving brand of hum∨ it may be the most entertaining novel you'll read that half wishes humanity was wiped off the map. . . . Gass, now 88, clearly has endings on his mind, which he addresses with fearsome brio and wit." - Kirkus, "A fat, ripe read… A final statement of Gass's belief in the sound of literary language… rhythmic and sonic…" -Brian Dillon, The Times Literary Supplement "A realistic story… a religious allegory and a philosophical meditation… extraordinary." -David Thoreen, The Boston Globe "Exhilarating… dazzling…" -Mike Fischer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "[ Middle C ] offers tactile pleasure… generous… comic…" -Michael Gorra, The New York Review "Of all living literary figures, William Gass may count as the most daringly scathing and most assertively fecund: in language, in ideas, in intricacy of form; above all in relentless fury… From its opening notes until its coda, this unquiet bildungsroman is designed to detonate its mild, middling title… Exhilaratingly ingenious… unexpected and dizzying…" - Cynthia Ozick , The New York Times Book Review (cover) " Middle C takes its place in that great line of modern novels about inauthenticity… However, there is nothing sham to William Gass's art: It's not just dazzling, it's the real thing." -Michael Dirda, The Washington Post "Gass orchestrates his fiction with thematic elements as a composer might a symphony." -Dan Lopez, Timeout New York "Entertaining and enlightening… emotionally gouging as well as amusing… I rank the novel first among Gass's six books of fiction." -Tom LeClair, The Barnes and Noble Review "A masterly work of language and imagery from one of America's most celebrated authors." -Joshua Finnell, Library Journal (starred) "A mischievous variation on the moral dilemmas raised in Gass' The Tunnel . . . In this exuberantly learned bildungsroman-this torrent of curious facts and arch commentary, puns and allusions-internationally lauded virtuoso Gass reflects on humanity's crimes and marvels, creating his funniest and most life-embracing book yet." - Booklist (starred) "Epic . . . crazily rich with thought . . . remarkably detailed . . . Gass beautifully coaxes the unheard music from a seemingly muted life . . . the unprecedented work of a master." - Publishers Weekly (boxed) "Engaging, melancholy . . . Gass remains a master of apt metaphors, graceful sentences and a flinty, unforgiving brand of hum∨ it may be the most entertaining novel you'll read that half wishes humanity was wiped off the map. . . . Gass, now 88, clearly has endings on his mind, which he addresses with fearsome brio and wit." - Kirkus, "A fat, ripe read... A final statement of Gass's belief in the sound of literary language... rhythmic and sonic..." --Brian Dillon, The Times Literary Supplement "A realistic story... a religious allegory and a philosophical meditation... extraordinary." --David Thoreen, The Boston Globe "Exhilarating... dazzling..." --Mike Fischer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "[ Middle C ] offers tactile pleasure... generous... comic..." --Michael Gorra, The New York Review "Of all living literary figures, William Gass may count as the most daringly scathing and most assertively fecund: in language, in ideas, in intricacy of form; above all in relentless fury... From its opening notes until its coda, this unquiet bildungsroman is designed to detonate its mild, middling title... Exhilaratingly ingenious... unexpected and dizzying..." -- Cynthia Ozick , The New York Times Book Review (cover) " Middle C takes its place in that great line of modern novels about inauthenticity... However, there is nothing sham to William Gass's art: It's not just dazzling, it's the real thing." --Michael Dirda, The Washington Post "Gass orchestrates his fiction with thematic elements as a composer might a symphony." --Dan Lopez, Timeout New York "Entertaining and enlightening... emotionally gouging as well as amusing... I rank the novel first among Gass's six books of fiction." --Tom LeClair, The Barnes and Noble Review "A masterly work of language and imagery from one of America's most celebrated authors." --Joshua Finnell, Library Journal (starred) "A mischievous variation on the moral dilemmas raised in Gass' The Tunnel . . . In this exuberantly learned bildungsroman--this torrent of curious facts and arch commentary, puns and allusions--internationally lauded virtuoso Gass reflects on humanity's crimes and marvels, creating his funniest and most life-embracing book yet." -- Booklist (starred) "Epic . . . crazily rich with thought . . . remarkably detailed . . . Gass beautifully coaxes the unheard music from a seemingly muted life . . . the unprecedented work of a master." -- Publishers Weekly (boxed) "Engaging, melancholy . . . Gass remains a master of apt metaphors, graceful sentences and a flinty, unforgiving brand of hum∨ it may be the most entertaining novel you'll read that half wishes humanity was wiped off the map. . . . Gass, now 88, clearly has endings on his mind, which he addresses with fearsome brio and wit." -- Kirkus, "Engaging, melancholy . . . Gass remains a master of apt metaphors, graceful sentences and a flinty, unforgiving brand of hum∨ it may be the most entertaining novel you'll read that half wishes humanity was wiped off the map. . . . Gass, now 88, clearly has endings on his mind, which he addresses with fearsome brio and wit." - Kirkus
