Good as her Word

A sparkling collection of journalism from the critically acclaimed author of BAD BLOOD and MOMENTS OF TRUTH.

This selection of the work of Lorna Sage spans the years 1972-2001, when she wrote for the London and New York literary papers and journals, and contains some of her very best pieces. From carefully worked interviews and profiles to the snappiest and deftest of weekly reviews, we can trace the often surprising development of that very distinctive voice and follow its sharpest critical reactions to the important authors and landmark publications of our times.

From George Eliot, Laurence Sterne, Charles Dickens and Mary Shelley to Sylvia Plath, Angela Carter, Umberto Eco and Salman Rushdie, Sage's unmistakable voice is here: clever, hilarious, anarchic, sly, wise, kind, courageous, genial and serious.

Reviews

Praise for GOOD AS HER WORD:
'A tremendous and bracing read that almost brings Sage back to life … Dazzling, erudite pieces.' Observer'A brilliant collection … When reading her reviews, you get a wonderful feeling of collusion, of attending the best kind of party which mixes great warmth with sophistication.' Time Out'Smart …. At her epigrammatic best' Daily Telegraph
Praise for MOMENTS OF TRUTH
‘Packed with razor-sharp observations and exhilerating humour.’ Sunday Times‘Thank goodness for Lorna Sage’s brilliant ‘Moments of Truth’. Going into a book with her is like going into a gloomy church, say, in some some foreign city: her eyes adjust to the light so fast she can see the frescoes, and describe them to you in vivd detail, while you are still blinking like a mole.’ Financial TimesThis is writerly criticism – down to earth, incisive, peppered with memorable phrases – and it makes exhilarating reading.’ Irish Times‘An apt memorial to a brilliant and stimulating mind.’ Literary Review
About the author

Lorna Sage was professor of English at the University of East Anglia. Her previous books include Women in the House of Fiction, The Cambridge Guide to Women's Writing in English, a short monograph on Angela Carter, and Bad Blood, which was winner of the 2000 Whitbread Biography Award. She died in January 2001.