While reading writers of great formulatory power โ Henry James, Santayana, Proust โ I find I can scarcely get through a page without having to stop to record some lapidary sentence. Reading Henry James, for example, I have muttered to myself, "Cโmon, Henry, turn down the brilliance a notch, so I can get some reading done." I may be one of a very small number of people who have developed writerโs cramp while reading.
Joseph EpsteinOne of the pleasures of being a Jew, I don't have to tell you, it allows you anti-Semitism.
Joseph Epstein