Second Chances
Jonathan Lethem examines contemporary literary reissues and the complicated legacy of mid-century novelist Wilfrid Sheed through his newly republished book Office Politics.
read it Jonathan Lethem offers a sharp, characteristically thoughtful essay on literary reissues and the complex psychological limitations of critic-novelist Wilfrid Sheed.
summary
Jonathan Lethem explores the contemporary boom of literary reissues through the lens of his deep dive into the work of mid-century critic and novelist Wilfrid Sheed. While praising the crisp, ironic wit of Sheed's workplace novel Office Politics, Lethem ultimately argues that Sheed's fiction pulls its punches, remaining trapped in cynical conformity rather than true subversion. He concludes by questioning whether our limited literary attention is best spent on Sheed's rediscovered oeuvre amid a crowded landscape of reissues.
key points
- The contemporary literary landscape features a booming market for reissued lost books championed by dedicated independent imprints like NYRB Classics and McNally Editions.
- Wilfrid Sheed's 1966 novel Office Politics depicts a low-stakes succession crisis at a small intellectual magazine with urbane precision and petty power struggles.
- Despite brilliant prose and biting social commentary, Sheed's fiction ultimately suffers from defensive cynicism and a reluctance to confront deeper emotional pain.
who should read it
Literary critics, avid readers of mid-century fiction, and anyone interested in the economics and culture of book publishing.
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