Look Closer by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst

Look Closer by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst

A TIMES and SPECTATOR Book of the Year

'The best book about reading I have read for a very long time' STEPHEN FRY

'A glittering gem of a book' NATALIE HAYNES

A joyful and enlightening masterclass in how reading attentively can change our lives

As an English literature professor, Robert Douglas-Fairhurst has delighted in sharing his love of reading with his students. Bringing together more than twenty years of teaching, Look Closer explores the iconic works of literature that have formed, sustained and entertained him, from timeless classics like Wuthering Heights and Dracula to modern masterpieces such as Normal People and The Handmaid’s Tale, as well as children’s books, poetry, plays, short stories and comics.

By revealing the simple techniques to slow down, take note and bring a text to life, Look Closer makes clear how literature works and why, in these turbulent times, reading is more relevant than ever. Funny, illuminating and personal, this book ultimately shows us how great writing can change a person’s life. It is a celebration of the simple joy of reading, and how becoming more attentive readers can open up worlds and bring us closer to ourselves in delightful and unexpected ways.

A glittering gem of a bookThis is a prism through which other books can be read more sharply, more meaningfully. I will be buying it for everyone I know who loves books -- Natalie Haynes

Robert Douglas-Fairhurst is a Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Magdalen College. His books include Becoming Dickens, which won the Duff Cooper Prize, The Story of Alice, which was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award, and Metamorphosis. He writes regularly for publications including The Times, the Literary Review and the Spectator. Radio and television appearances include Start the Week and The Culture Show and he has also acted as the historical consultant on TV adaptations of Jane Eyre, Emma, Great Expectations, the BBC drama series Dickensian and both of the Enola Holmes feature films for Netflix. He has judged the Booker Prize and the Baillie Gifford Prize, and in 2015 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781911717317
ISBN 10	1911717316
Title	Look Closer
Author	Robert Douglas-Fairhurst
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Vintage Publishing
Year published	2025-11-06
Number of pages	352
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.