The Friday Book (Maryland Paperback Bookshelf)

A classic collection of essays now published in a new edition (with a new afterword by the author), The Friday Book was the first work of nonfiction by novelist John Barth, author of The Sot-Weed Factor, Giles Goat-Boy, and Chimera. Taking its title from the day of the week Barth would devote to nonfiction, the three dozen essays discuss a wide range of topics from the blue crabs of Barth's beloved Chesapeake Bay to weighty literary subjects such as Borges, Homer, and semiotics. Even when taking on serious matters, Barth's essays are shrewd, playful, and often very funny.