Massive New History Of 20th Century Lit A “Waste Of Wood Pulp”

The new Cambridge History of Twentieth-Century English Literature weighs in at nearly 900 pages (and costs $160). This self-described “authoritative narrative” consists of forty-four long essays by academics renowned (Ronald Bush, e.g.) and obscure (most of the rest). How many trees do you suppose perished in order to bring this (according to the flap copy) “major event for anyone concerned with twentieth century literature” into being? It must be said that the index is only the beginning of what is wrong with this waste of wood pulp.”