'In the pursuit of magnificence, nothing is sacred', says Angela Carter,
and magnificence is indeed her own achievement. One of the most
acclaimed novelists of her generation, her work as a journalist and
critic was no less original.
Long autobiographical pieces on her life in South Yorkshire and South
London are followed by highly individual inspections of 'abroad'. Some
of her most brilliant writing is devoted to Japan - exotically and
erotically described here - so perfectly suited to the Carter pen.
Domestically, Angela Carter used her mordant wit and accurate eye to
inspect England and Englishness as it manifested itself throughout the
land. Then she turns to her own craft, and her extraordinarily
wide-ranging book reviews are masterpieces.
Please note that many of the essays in this collection also appear in
Shaking a Leg.